Tribulation Has No Tourniquet
by SilverNightRain08
Summary: I was born to love him, I live to fight for him and I'll die honoring him. I won't give up. ShirleyXLelouchXOCXSuzaku
1. Torn Away

**Hey! I'm back with my second story! This time is Code Geass, because Lelouch is HOT!! (Right girls?? Hahaha) Alright. I hope you enjoy it!! :D **

_Seven years ago, in beautiful, serene Japan, I would play in the gentle streams and run freely in the lush green pastures. I'd be able to be with my best friend and older brother Michael, and we lived a happy normal life with my parents. I was a carefree, adventurous, optimistic girl, not a care in the world and the biggest worry I ever had was falling and scraping my knees. It only took one bomb and one long, endless war to send my perfect world shattering to pieces..._

"Isabella!" Astrid Liberata called to her daughter as a formation of helicopters appeared over Mount Fuji.

The little girl didn't turn her head, but kept her eyes glued on the formation in the distance.

"Hey Lelou-chan, what do you think those helicopters are doing?" Isabella asked and her best friend turned his attention from the game they were playing to the approaching air crafts.

"I don't know. Come on, let's go inside before your mom gets angry," Lelouch said and Isabella stood up.

"Hang on Lulu, I just want to see," she said and started to scamper to the helicopters.

"Isabella!! Get back here!"

"I just want to see for a minute Mom!" Isabella called back and gave her mother the innocent smile she had that made everyone melt.

"Michael," Astrid sighed to her fifteen year old son, "go get your sister please, she only listens to you."

Michael jumped up off the couch before jogging outside to get his sister.

_In just a matter of minutes, my perfect world would end..._

"Isabella! Let's go, back inside!" Michael instructed but to his astonishment, Isabella kept running.

Lelouch growled, irritated, then stood up to catch up with his friend. Isabella had stopped running and was gazing in awe at the curious helicopters as Michael ran up behind her and picked her up.

"Alright little Missy, let's go," her brother said and Isabella pretended to pout as she, Michael and Lelouch went back inside the house.

Michael dropped Isabella on the couch and she was in a fit of giggles as she sat back up. Lelouch joined them on the couch and sat next to Isabella as Astrid smiled at all three of them and bolted her door shut. Isabella's father, Nathaniel, flipped the curtains of the house shut and ran his fingers through his ebony hair.

"Hey Dad, what are the helicopters doing?" Isabella asked but her father didn't answer.

"Astrid, do Lelouch's parents know where he is?"

"Yes," Lelouch answered before Mrs. Liberata could.

"Dad, what's going on?" Isabella asked, sensing the uneasy, scared note in her father's voice.

"Astrid," Mr. Liberata said to his wife as the noise of the helicopters getting closer got louder, "take Isabella, Michael and Lelouch to safety."

"Dad, what's going on?" Michael repeated his sister's words and there was an explosion.

"ISABELLA! MICHAEL!" Astrid cried as there was another explosion and their window broke.

Mr. Liberata shielded the kids from the shattering glass as Michael scooped up his sister and Lelouch before sprinting to the back of the house.

Astrid opened a trap door that would lead them to sanctuary and the Liberata siblings jumped inside.

"Lelouch!" Isabella said as Astrid held him back for a second. Michael pulled her back down and she fought to keep sight of him.

"Lelouch," she said and the violet eyes turned to her, "will you do me a favor? It's about Isabella."

"I'll do anything for Isabella! Name it and I'll do it," Lelouch said and Astrid smiled.

"Please, protect her," Astrid said and Lelouch's eyes widened as another blast almost deafened him.

Astrid pushed him to the trap door and Lelouch dropped inside next to Isabella.

"Wait, Mom!" she cried but there was another explosion and Michael shielded her and Lelouch from the debris.

"NO! MOM! WAIT MICHAEL--!" Isabella cried and the door had slammed shut.

"M-Mom--Dad--" Isabella stared up at the door as there were heavy foot steps stomping around and Michael put his hand over his sister's mouth.

"Don't make a sound," he whispered and Isabella felt tears slip down her face.

_The next thing I knew, I was running away with Lelouch and my brother away from my flawless world forever. We hadn't even reached outside yet when my brother had been blindfolded and handcuffed. _

"MICHAEL!" Isabella cried and two Britannia soldiers had grabbed Lelouch as well.

_I was also blindfolded and handcuffed like my brother...I was so scared and I didn't know what to do. I cried out for Lelouch and I grabbed his hand blindly. I held onto him as if he was my only source of life and I begged him to not let go. _

"Lelou-chan! Don't let me go!" Isabella cried, tears soaking the blindfold and she clutched her best friend's hand.

The guards yanked at her and Isabella felt as if her arm would be ripped clean off, but she kept hold of Lelouch's hand.

"Michael!" Isabella gasped through the pain and the only reply from her brother was his muffled screams.

"MICHAEL! LELOUCH!"

Her palm was getting slippery with sweat and Lelouch's fingers tried to tighten around hers, but with one final yank from the guards, Isabella was torn away from Lelouch. The soldiers dragged her away, thrashing her tiny body and screaming, Lelouch and Michael both calling out to her. Their screams to each other echoed against the thick wall of trees until Lelouch's as well as Michael's voices both became distant echoes and faded away.

**Cliff hanger on the first chapter. Sorry, I know you guys hate that about me, but I'm not entirely sure what else to put in the chapter. I'll update again most likely tomorrow. In the mean time, Review!!! :D**


	2. Out of the Smoke and Debris

**Hey, I re-uploaded the story so I lost the reviews I got. T.T I still have them saved in my email, so to those who reviewed for this story, I say thank you to: SapphireShadowCat, XxThe Wish GranterxX, Saeki Hisoka DarkFlame Alchemist and parkinson666. Thank you so much for reviewing, subscribing and favoriting!!! :D**

"ISABELLA! MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL AND GET THE GROCERIES!" Lady Albern ordered as seventeen year old Isabella Liberata finished cleaning the pure white and ocean blue tiled floor.

"Yes, My Lady," Isabella muttered through clench teeth, making no effort to hide her bad attitude towards the mistress.

Isabella sat back on her heels, her sore back cramping and she untied the snow white apron around her sturdy waist before standing slowly and going into the kitchen. She hung the apron on a lingering hook and then slipped the grocery list her fellow servant, Ami Kanagawa, had neatly written in curvy kanji.

"Isabella?!" Lady Albern screeched and the teen cringed as the tall, unrealistically thin, noble strutted through the door.

"Yes, My Lady?"

"Don't give me attitude, you should be grateful that you get to live here. Pick up the groceries and then come back and finish cleaning the rest of the floors downstairs," the mistress snapped and Isabella crumpled the list and stuffed it into her battered jean pocket.

"Yes ma'am," she said as mockingly as she dared and expected a slap across the face.

"Don't just stand there! Get going!" Lady Albern snarled and then departed.

Isabella shot her back a look of daggers and then turned on her heels before striding out the door.

"Burn in Hell you old hag," Isabella cursed as she slammed the huge oak door of the mansion behind her, "stupid Britannians should all shrivel up in the Lake of Fire for what you've done to beautiful Japan. Shattering lives, taking the lives of so many, go to Hell."

Isabella's hip length, ebony hair whisked around behind her as she walked. Her body was well built and very toned from the manual work, and her green eyes were bright and lively almost haunting. Isabella's ebony hair was almost always pulled back into a thick ponytail, and it was completely straight except for the ends, where it curved inward.

It had been seven years since Isabella had been taken away from her brother and best friend, making her live with the bitter hatred she had for the new Empire and the stabbing heartbreak that only got worse every time she thought back to her bright, beautiful, happy past. She longed for her deceased parents, and woke up crying at least twice a week from the same nightmare of the bombing and murder of her mother and father.

"They make me sick," Isabella continued to mutter as she stalked through the city to the grocery store, "I really wish Zero would just drop the A-bomb and destroy them all then be done with it. Then again...where's the fun in that?"

Isabella thought back to the speech her idol, Zero, had given the night before about bringing down the Brittinians and restoring Japan to her former glory. A proud smile spread across the teen's face as she watched and her respect, hope and faith in Zero strengthened with every word he had said.

_"With enough strength and courage we'll be able to destroy Britannia and build a new nation; the United States of Japan!"_

"United States of Japan," Isabella sighed and entered the grocery store, "United States of Japan."

Making her train of thought end, Isabella picked up a red basket and headed to the vegetable aisle.

"This woman is so freaking obsessed with carrots. What is she part rabbit?" the teenager mumbled and picked up three packs of the orange carrot sticks.

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING ELEVEN?!" a loud, husky voice yelled from in front of Isabella.

Her face burned and she glared up to see a burly Britinian wrestle down a thin Japanese-American of about twenty one. The "Eleven" clenched a small box of rice crackers in his skinny arms and tried to fight the Britanian off of him.

"Do you honestly think you can steal from here? Give me a break! If you have no money then that's your fault you useless scum!" the burly man smirked and the other kept the package in his arms.

Isabella watched them and looked around to see no one stepping out to help. Thinking fast, Isabella stepped out from the aisle and crossed her arms.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, using her best acting skills had taught herself.

The Eleven and Britinan turned their eyes to her and she tapped her foot.

"You know, you disappear for a month then try and steal from a grocery store? All you had to do was just come back, sheesh, are you that thick or are you just not forgiving yourself about what happened between you and Ami?"

The Eleven stared at Isabella, open mouthed and was totally speechless.

"You know this scumbag, Eleven?" the other man asked and Isabella's face reddened at being called "Eleven".

"Yes, he's with me," she said and marched up to the open mouthed man, "let's go."

Isabella paid for the groceries and rice crackers then lead her companion out of the store and down the street.

"Hey!" he said as he jogged after her, "who are you?"

"My name is Isabella Liberata, how about you?"

"Scotty Young," was the reply and Isabella flashed him a smile.

"Were you trying to commit suicide or something? Stealing from Britianians is just screaming 'Kill Me Now!' you know," she scolded playfully and Scotty's lost, blue eyes blinked several times.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm not taking you anywhere, you're just following me."

"Didn't you want me to?"

"It's up to you. I'm just a servant in the Albern household. If you want to come with me then be my guest, or just go back to where you came from," Isabella said and Scotty's head swam.

_This girl is so much younger than me...who is she? Why am I following her more importantly...and why did she stand up for me? _

"Why did you help me back there? He could have figured out you were lying or you could have gotten in trouble," Scotty asked and Isabella smiled again.

"You know, I think I'm going to like you. You're funny," she said and Scotty sweat dropped.

"I'm asking you questions."

"I know and it's funny. Normal people would just smile and say thank you."

"Alright, fine, thank you very much Liberata-san. I greatly appreciate your help, now will you answer me?"

"Fine, I helped you because I felt bad for you. That huge moose looked like he was about to devour you whole," Isabella said and Scotty laughed.

"You know, you're comical too. I've never heard a young lady talk about someone like that before, a Britanian especially," he told her and Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Britanians all are stupid, power-hungry idiots. Zero will have them running into the ocean screaming for mercy in no time."

Scotty burst out laughing at her statement and she shrugged.

"Well, it's true."

"You're right and I do hope that happens. I take it you're on Zero's side of the whole matter then," Scotty was smiling again and ran his finger through his short, black, curly hair.

"You bet, Zero is the best. Okay, so he's an insane terrorist but he's awesome," Isabella said coolly and the two Elevens turned the corner.

"So where exactly are we going?"Scotty asked her.

"Just up this road and then--" Isabella was interrupted by an eruption of terrifyed screams and then an explosion.

"What the--?!" Scotty gasped and Isabella seized his hand before sprinting back down the road to shelter as a huge, black, smoke cloud rose above the city and debris flew every which way.

"OVER HERE!" Isabella screamed over the sirens, panicing people and the noise of buildings crashing down.

Scotty sprinted after her as the whipped into an alley, hoping they would be safe. Isabella panted as white debris crumbled from her ebony hair and she dug peices of brick and rock out of slightly cut hand and face.

"Ze--ro--holy shit..." Scotty panted and there was a cracking sound.

"Scotty--!" Isabella gasped as the building next to them seemed to cripple and crash down.

"Isa--!"

"NO SCOTTY!" Isabella reached her hand out and then a cloud of dust and rock blinded her as she felt someone grab her wrist.

Isabella felt herself being ripped from the destruction, still unable to see, and her legs burned from the running. Coughing, she followed who ever was trying to rescue her obiedently as they pulled her to a safe place away from the choas. She heard another crumbling sound above her and then the person's body pressing onto hers against a brick wall.

"Sco--tty--" she coughed up dust and white powder then caught her breath, "Scotty, are you alright?"

Isabella rubbed her eyes and opened them to see a violet face mask in front of her face. She froze as she noticed part of the helmet had been either broken or opened, revealing a soft, violet eye gazing at her.

"Z-Zero-how-Scotty--is he--?"

"He's fine," Zero said and the opening closed, shielding his eye from her.

His arms were on either side of her head and his body was pressed onto hers, protecting her from the crumbling building.

"Zero--I--thank you," Isabella managed to say and he pulled back from her.

"A girl like you shouldn't be out her in the middle of a battle, Isabella," he said sternly and Isabella stared at him.

"How--?!"

"Lucky guess," Zero interrupted before she could even finish and he turned around to start walking away, "be more careful and don't do anything stupid while out in public. Scotty's back in the alley but he's okay."

"Uh--okay--"

"Good-bye, Isabella," Zero said to her and the disappeared into the debris, leaving Isabella so dazed, she had to sit down on the concrete for a few minutes before getting back up to go get Scotty.

**Well, chapter two is finally posted. Haha. Review and tell me what you think! I've got two other stories going right now and I'm just switching between the three. XD Depends on what mood I'm in. hahaha. So, four reviews before next update would be amazing!! Thanks and see you soon!**

**~SilverNightRain08  
**


	3. Impulse

**Reviews are rather scarce...I'm so sad. :'( I accept anonymous you know. -sigh- Well thank you very much Savage Kill** **for favoriting and reviewing!! :D**

"Well that's a pretty crazy experience, Isabella. Zero just came up and started talking to you?" Ami instituted two days later as the three of them washed the mountain of grimy dishes.

"Yeah, it was as if he knew me or something. He knew my name and everything," the teen replied and handed a China plate to Scotty to put away.

"Wow, I don't know whether to be amazed or just plain freaked out," Ami breathed and used her shoulder to push back a lock of straight, blond hair.

"I'm both to be honest. I mean, considering Zero is like, my idol, and then he just randomly saves me from the destruction. What I can't figure out though is why; I'm supposed to be just another commoner to him, right?"

"Maybe he does know you and is secretly in love with you," Scotty gave Isabella a playful push on the shoulder and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right. The guy is probably like, twenty years older than me."

"His voice doesn't sound like it. He sounds rather young to me when he makes those speeches on T.V.," Ami handed a cup to Isabella to dry while voicing her observation at the same time.

"Even so, regardless of age, he knows me somehow," the ebony haired teen affirmed, her face showing obvious confusion and deep thought, and Lady Albern strutted into the kitchen.

"Scotty," she squawked and he turned to her, "go get the mail and you two," she glared over at Ami and Isabella, "finish cooking the food for my husband's chess game today. Remember he's playing with a few friends."

"Yes my lady," Ami bowed and Scotty followed his master out of the kitchen to the front door.

"Isn't someone challenging Lord Albern today?" Ami asked and Isabella shrugged, not really caring, as she rinsed off and dried the last of the dishes.

"I don't know, I would assume. I heard something going around earlier this week about some kid coming here today to challenge him, but I don't know," she replied, showing nothing but boredom towards the subject and walked over to the refrigerator to pull out the kuzumochi._(A/N Kuzumochi is a traditional Japanese cool dessert the is starch powder made from kuzu or the kudzu plant root. They're basically just chewy cakes. I'm gonna try them out once...they sound good. By the way I found the recipe from kuzumochi on .com)_

Ami dropped the topic, opened the oven and waved her hand around the hot air before reaching in with a red oven mitt to pull out the fresh honey butter toast.

"Well, we have kuzumochi, honey butter toast with vanilla ice cream, onigiri, rice crackers, sushi rolls and pocky. Do you think this will be good for right now?" Ami asked and Isabella nodded.

"For now, if they want anything else I'll just toss some more kuzumochi in and make more onigiri. You can go relax or something, I got this handled," Isabella told Ami and the blond scoffed.

"And leave you here all by yourself with all these drunk, high Britannians? I don't think so," Ami laughed and there was a door slam.

"Just warning you ladies the nobles are all here," Scotty murmured to the two friends as he tossed the white envelopes onto the counter just as Lady Albern scuttled in.

"Alright you three, get it all together and act like you're more than happy to serve them hand and foot. And you," she whipped around to Isabella, "one smart remark out of your mouth and I will throw you out into the street!"

_That's better than listen to you and your stupid husband crow at everyone like you own the universe you old hag! _Isabella wanted to shout but bowed instead.

"Yes ma'am," she gnarred through gritted teeth and Scotty had to turn in his back to the noble in order to keep Lady Albern from seeing his look of pure amusement.

**Two Hours Later...**

"If I get slapped on the butt by that bastard's perverted friends one more time, I might flip them over the table," Ami hissed as she dumped a load of dirty dishes into the sink and Isabella sighed as she rubbed her cracking hands dry on a yellow dish towel.

"I'll take over serving duty and give your butt a break from being slapped," Isabella said and picked up the tray full of fresh food.

"Thanks so much Isabella," Ami smiled relieved and her best friend winked.

"No problem! That's what friend's are for!" she laughed and then pushed the doors open to walk into the elegant dining room.

The lavish room was ornamented in jade and gold, the table made of the finest wood and silk curtains draped like lavender waterfalls to the marble floor. The nobles and Lord Albern were dressed in exquisite suits made of the most expensive silks and decorated with gold buttons and pins. Isabella felt very out of place in her ratty, black t-shirt, beat up jeans, pigtails and sneakers that were half a size too small, even so, she delivered the tray of food to them without a word.

"Yet again, I win!" Lord Albern boasted and grabbed a bag of gold from his friend.

"What?! Impossible!" his companion looked desperately at the board and then slumped back in his chair.

Lord Albern gave a hyena-like laugh and inspected his new bag of money.

"Any more challengers here? I have someone else coming in ten minutes, so why not?"

There were no takers and Isabella turned her back to them before rolling her eyes in disgust.

_Morons, _she thought, annoyed, and headed back to the kitchen.

"We've got another ten minutes before the next contestant comes," Isabella informed her friend and leaned against the sink.

"Alright, let's make some more kuzumochi, just for us," Ami said mischievously and Isabella smiled.

"Yeah really, I'm starving," she said and the two girls were able to make the snack just as the doorbell rang.

"Well, until either one of us gets called," Isabella said before biting into the cool treat.

"ISABELLA GET OUT HERE WITH FOOD FOR MY GUEST!" Lord Albern bellowed as if on cue and Isabella shoved the rest of her treat into her mouth, waves of despair hanging over her head.

"It was good while it lasted," she exhaled as she swallowed, "I'll be right back."

Isabella supported the tray now full of sushi and onigiri with her left hand to the great table and set it down in front of the guest.

"Here you are sir," she said to the dark haired man and set the tray down.

"Thank you, miss," he lifted his head off of his hand and met her eyes.

Isabella's heart skipped a beat as she stared back at the violet eyes and dark brown hair hanging in them.

_No way...! He's...here?!_

"HEY! Get back to the kitchen!" Lord Albern spat and Isabella snapped back to her senses.

"I'm sorry!" she spazzed and bowed then scurried back to the kitchen.

"Hey, what did I miss?" Scotty asked as he returned from the yard work he had been forced to do for the third time that week and saw Isabella wide eyed, leaning against the counter.

"Isabella?" Ami asked and her expression was very worried.

"It's--him! It's Lelouch, it's him! He's alive...he's in perfect health...it's him Ami-chan! It's Lelouch!" the teen gasped and Ami's face lit up.

"That's great Isabella! That's so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Ami hugged her friend and the two girls started to make more onigiri and pocky.

"I--I'll try to talk to him--Lelouch--!"

"Excuse me but can someone please tell me who 'Lelouch' is?" Scotty asked, totally lost.

"Lelouch is a childhood friend of mine and he was taken by the Britannians along with my brother. My parents are dead and I thought Lelouch was as well," Isabella explained and Scotty had a look of empathy on his face.

"Oh, well, in that case, awesome!" Scotty's face broke into a huge grin and then his voice dropped into a whisper.

"Do you like him or something? Ten years...childhood friend...is there some romance...?"

"WHAT?! What are you talking about, of course not!" Isabella exclaimed and her two friends shrugged simultaneously.

"Whatever you say, Isabella," Scotty teased and the girl blushed furiously.

"Well--I'm just going to you know, take this out to them," Isabella muttered and took a deep breath before entering the room once more.

Her arms shook slightly as she carefully approached Lelouch's side and placed the tray down in front of him.

"Would you like any refreshments, sir?" Isabella asked him and he removed his chin off of his hand.

"I'd love some, thank you," Lelouch replied and smiled.

"Hey, pay attention to the game," Lord Albern instructed and Lelouch turned his violet eyes back to him.

"My Lord, before I make my next move, can I change my prize?"

Lord Albern studied his opponent with piggy eyes and shot a dirty look at Isabella.

"What is it?"

"If I win, I want this girl to walk out of here with me," Lelouch said and Isabella gripped onto the back of his chair to keep herself from falling over.

"What?!" both the noble and the servant cried in exasperation.

"As my prize, I want this girl to be handed over to me," Lelouch repeated and Lord Albern pondered this for a moment.

"She's a hard worker, and of valuable blood. Strong, but not the brightest and always a problem, well whatever, yeah, you can take her if you really want her. Use her for whatever you want, I don't give a damn. Let's just continue the game alright?"

"Thank you," Lelouch said and smiled up at Isabella tenderly as she turned redder than a strawberry before scuttling back into the kitchen.

**Two _More_ Hours Later...**

"I'm so nervous, and don't you two think you're a little overconfident? The game hasn't even ended yet and you've already got my suitcase packed," Isabella turned her bright green eyes over to the battered, old, brown suitcase that was pretty much bursting at the seams with her bulky clothes and pictures she had kept in tact for the past seven years.

"We grabbed your scrapbook too," Ami said as Scotty carefully flipped through the yellowing pages that were worn away at the edges.

"So this is you and Lelouch?" he asked and a palm-sized photograph of ten year old Isabella and Lelouch side by side, hand in hand, both smiling in the bright sunlight.

"Yeah, that's Lelou-chan," Isabella chirped and picked up the fallen photo of just Lelouch wearing Isabella's favorite, red baseball cap and giving her a thumbs up at he smiled widely.

"I take it you love photography," Ami said and Isabella nodded.

"It's my favorite past time," she beamed and Scotty turned the page to see a tall, black haired man with extremely handsome features and a blond woman standing next to him, their arms around each others waist.

"Who are they?" Scotty asked.

"My parents," Isabella told him and slowly took the scrap book away. "I'm sorry, but this is getting to me a bit. Can we look at this later?"

"If you're here later--" Scotty started but was interrupted by a sudden clattering sound.

"IMPOSSIBLE! YOU'RE A CHEAT! A CHEAT I TELL YOU!" Lord Albern bellowed and Isabella rushed into the room to see her master towering over Lelouch who twirled the white king between his long fingers.

"Well, I had you in check mate. I won fairly, now then that's settled, where's the young lady I get to collect?"

Lord Albern scowled as his noble friends looked from the scattered chess pieces to Lelouch to Isabella, who looked ready to pass out. Ami and Scotty stood behind her, both of them holding a hand behind her back to support her.

"You won--?" Isabella gasped, ecstatic.

"Yes, I did. Now, do you need to get anything before we leave? I believe the deal was you come with me if I won," Lelouch said to her and she nodded.

"Y-yes, right in here!" Isabella dashed into the kitchen and grabbed her battered suitcase and scrap book, Ami following her.

"Congratulations, Isabella," the blond said kindly and Isabella stopped.

"Ami--"

"You deserve it Isabella, you have earned it."

"I'll free you and Scotty too, Ami, I promise I will," Isabella vowed and ran to her friend before locking her arms around her.

"Don't worry though, Scotty and I will be alright, we'll write often, okay?" Ami said and smiled warmly, "I'll walk you outside then leave you to Lelouch. If he gives you any grief let me know and I'll come running with my spatula and frying pan, we clear?"

Isabella laughed as she walked back out into the elegant room for the final time.

"You," she said to Scotty and gave him a warm hug, "take care of Ami for me will you?"

"Of course! Have fun now, we'll keep in touch," Scotty promised and out his arm around Ami's shoulders.

Isabella smiled at them and then Lelouch came up behind her.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said and looked over at the nobles.

"Well, good bye," she said and Lord Albern scoffed.

"Just take her and get outta my sight," he barked and Isabella gave Ami and Scotty one last hug before following Lelouch out the mansion's doors into the bright sunlight.

Neither of them spoke a syllable until they had reached the gates and started out on the sidewalk.

"I was actually very relieved you didn't argue about coming with me," Lelouch told her as he remained a few paces ahead.

"What do you mean? You bargained my freedom from that place. Anywhere is better than that house," Isabella said and her friend chuckled softly.

"I guess so, and I'm glad you're happy. Now, do you actually know who I am?" Lelouch turned around, his brown hair swaying above his violet eyes and Isabella smiled widely at him.

"You haven't changed at all, Lelouch," Isabella told him and he pouted.

"I was half expecting you to call me 'Lelou-chan' like when--well whatever, that was years ago. Anyway, how are you, Isabella?"

She didn't know why, but Isabella suddenly felt a rush of feelings race through her body as she studied the gorgeous boy in front of her.

"I actually thought that--I didn't know you were still alive. I thought you were dead!" Isabella exclaimed and dropped her suitcase before letting Lelouch take a step towards her, "I thought you were dead and then seven years later you just show up and win me the freedom I've been dreaming of since that night! How do think I feel?!"

"Isabella, I'm sorry that I--I should have--but I thought you were dead too," Lelouch admitted to her and the green eyes widened.

"Then how did you find me?"

"I didn't do that intentionally but I'm sure glad I challenged that noble. Who knew I'd get my best friend back too," he said and his fingertips touched her face lightly.

"Lelouch--" Isabella started then put her hands on the sides of his face, "Lelouch."

Her eyes closed and her head tilted slightly as her face got closer and closer to his. Lelouch's hand was over hers as Isabella's carefully parted lips neighbored his, her cool, sweet breath caressing his lips. Her heart pounded as she pressed her body against to him airily and then her lips greeted his. Isabella felt her body go pleasantly numb as Lelouch wrapped his arms around her waist securely and pulled her body into him, the ebony hair tickling his fingers and her cloying, soft lips kissing his. Isabella felt tears well up in her eyes as she pulled away a tiny bit and then kissed him again, not wanting the moment to end.

"Isa...Bella..." Lelouch breathed through her lips and she pulled back, her hands now on his chest.

She kept her eyes on his and felt his arms around her. There was a pause and then Isabella turned the brightest shade of red Lelouch had ever seen.

"I am so sorry! I don't know what I was thinking...I didn't--I mean--I'm sorry Lelouch! I guess I wasn't thinking clearly...Lelouch--I'm sorry!" Isabella spazzed and he shrugged.

"It's alright," was all he could say and let go of her before picking up her suitcase for her.

"Thank you," Isabella said as Lelouch handed her luggage back to her.

"Are you ready to start a new life now?" Lelouch asked and held out his hand as if it were to officially seal Isabella's freedom.

"You bet!" she smiled widely and gave Lelouch's hand a shake.

He beamed back at her and then started walking away again, Isabella beside him, ready to begin the new chapter of her life.

**Fluffy cuteness!! :D I'd like 3 reviews before next update, alright? It would be greatly appreciated. I am attempting to make this as interesting as possible...if you have any ideas then let me know!! :D (I'll give you the credit I promise!!) Bye for now!! :D**


	4. The Amazing Race: Eleven Style

**Still craving some more reviews but I'll upload again. Thank you!!!: Cornelia Li Britannia, AnimeGirl123456, lordmarik and ****MickeyMcMuffinx3 for favoriting, reviewing and reading! Please the ones that are reading but not reviewing, I LOVE IT when you tell me what you think!! I really do and I obsessively check my email for reviews. XD The more you review the faster I update. True fact you know. XD**

"Hey Isabella, wait up!" Shirley called and Isabella stopped walking as her red headed friend zig zagged through the scattered students in the hallway.

A week had passed since Isabella had arrived at Ashford Academy, and so far, she had been warmly welcomed by Shirley Fenette, Milly Ashford, Nina Einstein and Rivalz Cardemonde. Even though she was still adjusting and getting used to all the people acknowledging her existence, Isabella felt that she had grown to favor Shirley more over everyone, next to Lelouch of course.

"Hi Shirley! Are you headed off to Swim Club?" Isabella asked and Shirley managed to catch up to her.

"Yeah, I was headed there now but I wanted to tell you that the track team is short of team members and they're having try outs today. Being in at least one club is required at the Academy, I figured track would be a fun sport to try; you seem like you'd really enjoy it," Shirley panted slightly and Isabella pondered her suggestion.

"What time are they having the try outs?"

"In about half an hour."

Isabella blew back a strand of black hair and shifted her heavy books in her arms.

"Okay, well, why not, it does sound like fun!" Isabella beamed and Shirley looked extremely overjoyed.

"Alright, well, we'll just drop off our stuff in the dorm and see what Nina is up to then we'll both have to be at the clubs. Student Council is also having a meeting after swimming today so Nina and I will take a bit longer coming back," Shirley informed and Isabella's mouth twitched thoughtfully.

"Hey, if the try outs don't run into the meeting time, do you mind if I came with you today? I'm very curious to see what Student Councils actually do. I can't say I was given a proper education back at the Albern's," Isabella said and Shirley's face lit up like a fire cracker.

"Of course! Milly would love it if you came!"

"Sweet! I'll come right after the tryouts," Isabella acquainted and the two girls reached the dorm room to see Nina Einstein sitting at the desk doing research on her laptop, as usual.

"Hey Nina girl, what's going on?" Isabella greeted as she tossed her lavender, miniature back pack on her single bed.

"Oh, I was just designing something for the dance Miss President wants to have in a month or so," Nina replied, her long, slender fingers gliding over the keys gracefully and Isabella leaned on the back of her chair.

"Finally, something that doesn't make me feel like a dumb ass compared to you," Isabella teased and Nina blushed.

"Uh—well, I personally think you're very smart Isabella," she said, and fiddled with her black braids.

"Yeah, compared to a mule. Anyway, Nina, would you mind if I tagged after you and Shirley today to the Student Council meeting? I'm rather curious about it," Isabella asked and Nina saved her work before switching to another project that made Isabella's head start to ache by just glancing at it.

"No, of course not! Miss President would be beside herself with joy if someone else attended. She might make you start to work on the dance preparations though; it only takes one meeting for her to consider you a member," Nina said and Isabella smirked.

"Dance preparations eh? That's right up my alley, posters for it, publicity, art, yeah, I'll be all over that," Isabella gave an evil giggle and both of her friends burst out laughing.

"Be sure to tell Milly that though," Shirley told her between giggles and Isabella grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt she had borrowed from Lelouch.

"Will do my friends, now, if you'll excuse me, I've got hurdles to jump over and a time limit to beat. I'll see you later. Good luck at swimming Shirley and good luck on whatever it is you're working on Nina girl, I'll see you later," Isabella said and yanked the shirt over her head before trotting out, a water bottle in her hand and pulling her ebony hair back into a high ponytail.

"You know, I didn't even noticed she changed," Shirley said once she noticed Isabella's uniform on the floor.

"Well, if she can change that fast, imagine how she can run," Nina said and stared after Isabella, clearly impressed by the speed.

"She'll have no problem getting onto the team," Shirley affirmed before grabbing her bathing suit and heading off to the pool, "I'll see you after swimming Nina!"

Isabella made her way through the crowding hallway and managed to free herself outside to get to the track field. A small group of about eleven girls was already huddled together there, and several of them turned at the sound of Isabella's beat up tennis shoes squeaking across the damp grass as she approached. A blond girl dressed in a fashionable, pink sweat suit glared at her with cold blue eyes and another blond, her twin dressed in the same sweat suit except hers was orange, just studied her.

_Oh wonderful, a stare down. Fun. _Isabella thought bitterly but smiled.

The twins looked away and there was a sharp whistle blow that made Isabella's ear drums almost split. All the girls swiveled their heads in the direction of the coach, who was a tall, well built woman that almost resembled an older version of Isabella except for short, silver hair as opposed to Isabella's long, ebony hair.

"Hello girls, I'm Coach Terry, and by the looks of it, everyone that signed up is here, except for you," Terry focused her sharp green eyes on Isabella, who blinked.

"I'm sorry, I'm new here, I've only been here a week," she said but Coach seemed unmoved.

"These notifications have been up all month and all over the school. You could have made time to sign a paper," she snapped and Isabella felt humiliated as the Britannian blond girl sniggered.

"Uh—can I still tryout?" Isabella stammered, trying hard not to snap at the girl and mind her respect for adults.

"Yeah, just stay up to date here. I'm not that easy going," Terry grumped and started down the sign up list, "let's see, what's your name kid?"

"Isabella Liberata."

"Alright, I gotcha down. Now, as I was going to say, I'm Coach Terry and my only advice as far as this track team goes is keep your grades up in order to be academically able to stay on the team and that I'm going to be working your asses off during the meets. Let's get started," Terry twirled her silver whistle around her slender finger and the same blond girl turned her icy eyes on Isabella once more.

_Quit staring at me. If you want to insult me just do it and quit glaring at me like I'm some inferior. I'm just as important in this world as you are, _Isabella wanted to declare but bit her tongue.

"First is the timed race. I only need three girls here, so, the fastest girls out of the group get the places. I will be posting the ones who make the team tomorrow. I'm sorry it's only one chance, but make the most of it," Terry informed and scanned down her list of the eleven girls.

"Leslie Welsh, Ally Welsh and Rose Anderson, you three are up first. It's simple; all you have to do is run around the track in under thirty seconds. Ready…and…go," Terry blasted her whistle and the two blonds and red head sprinted off, Ally in the lead.

The blond just looked like a pink blur around the track as Isabella watched her. The blond hair rippled behind her shoulders, feet barley touching the ground, arms pumping effortlessly at her sides. Ally reached the finish line within twenty-seven seconds, Leslie following up behind her two seconds later and Rose coming with thirty-three seconds.

"Massie, Amber, Lily and Mariah, you are next. Rose, take a seat," Terry ordered and the disappointed ginger sat down in the bleachers, irritated.

Out of the next four girls, only Amber had made it in the so far record of twenty-five seconds. Terry looked pleased and Ally scowled at Amber's back as the brunette passed, Isabella offering her a high five.

"Isabella, Natalie, Lacey and Korey, you guys are last. Make it count," the whistle shrieked and Isabella felt her feet begin to move on their own.

The other three girls were ten feet in front of her and Isabella began to pump her arms.

_I will not lose…_step step step_…_pant pant pant_…go…go…run like you did when those buildings were crashing down practically crushing you…_

Isabella's speed increased and she was just barley behind the last girl, Korey…passed her…now approaching Lacey…

_Keep going…the buildings are going to crush you…go…faster…faster…not fast enough…keep going…_

She was right next to Lacey and then passed her as well.

_Keep going, almost there…pass Natalie…the buildings will smash you…keep going…_

Isabella was directly behind Natalie and she forced herself to sprint harder and faster. Her breath was practically gone but Isabella urged herself more. A bead of sweat trickled down her back and the cold winds whipped back her hair, making her eyes dry and then re-water. She was just half a step away…now directly next to Natalie…passed her…Natalie next to her again…Isabella growled under her breath and used all of her strength to get to the finish line first. Her heart was throbbing from effort and another bead of sweat trailed down her back. Her feet moved faster and her arms pumped harder until she was finally…

"Wow Liberata, only twenty-three seconds. That was pretty damn good for an amateur," Terry was clearly impressed and the other three girls caught up, Korey with thirty-five seconds, Natalie twenty-five and Lacey thirty-one.

"Alright now, Leslie, Natalie, Amber, Ally and Isabella, you guys are all going against each other and you have to beat twenty-five seconds, ready…go," the sharp whistle blast and they were off.

Isabella was almost attached to Ally's side as they held the game of first Ally, then Isabella in the lead. Ally was now ahead by three steps and Isabella felt her ambition burn inside her.

_She won't beat me…she won't beat me…_

The black hair was blowing wildly as she ran like she was trying to save a life. She kept her hope of winning the race clutched in her mind like a person clutching onto a friend's hand as they were about to fall. The want to win…the need…the burning desire to be the best…the fastest…she was right next to the blond and passed her but paid no heed to her. Isabella only saw the finish line creep closer and closer as if wanting her to be the first to cross. Ten steps…nine…Ally was catching up…eight, seven…Ally was next to her and there was only ten seconds left in order to beat the time…Isabella remained in he lead…six…how did Ally get ahead?!...Five, four, three…_I'll win…I'm going to win…It's mine!!..._Two…three seconds left…one step…no time…

"Liberata, victory is yours."

Isabella felt as if her lungs would explode out of her chest and her legs screamed and begged for her to sit down. She rested her hands on her trembling knees, sucking in the cold, refreshing air.

"Okay, well, I'll post our newest team members tomorrow and well, we're done. Check the list though," Terry strode off and Isabella checked her watch. The Student Council was going to start in ten minutes, just enough time to get changed, freshen up and find either Shirley or Lelouch.

Isabella screwed the bottle cap off of her water and gulped it down, leaving barley half left then turned to see two of her friends standing at the gate.

"Hey! That was pretty impressive Isabella!" Shirley called, her hair still dripping tiny droplets of water. Isabella beamed and trekked over to her and Lelouch.

"Konichiwa!" Isabella greeted her two, bright faced friends.

"I didn't know you were so fast Isa-chan, impressive," Lelouch praised and Isabella felt a blush begin to creep up her neck.

_Did he get…like a billion times sexier than when I last saw him? I understand we were only ten the last time we saw each other…but…when did he get so handsome…?_ Isabella asked herself and studied her best friend.

Her eyes remained locked on him for a few moments and he just kept smiling admiringly back, his eyes soft and loving, until Shirley cleared her throat.

"Well, we better get going if we don't want to be late for the meeting. Isabella, do you want to go back to the dorm to change? I'll come with you," Shirley offered, her sunny smile returning to her face.

"Huh—oh yeah! Okay, I better clean myself up a bit for the meeting, ahahaha!" Isabella laughed awkwardly and tried to ignore the giggling fan girls as they huddled in a tight circle, their eyes feasting on Lelouch.

_They are rather annoying…_Isabella sweat dropped as the giggling stop abruptly and she looked out of the corner of her eye to see the girls glaring at her.

"Yeah, let's go," the ebony haired teenager said. _Before these girls beat me up with the stick we use for the high jump._

___**XD I rather like the way I ended this chapter...I try to add some humor in at places. This reminds me I gotta get Suzaku in and get the whole...oh I don't want to give that away. XD Review review review please!**_  



	5. After History

**Thank You: Animegirl123456 and jayz1718** **for reviewing and favoriting! it wasn't a very interesting chapter last time but I assure you this one is!**

Isabella tapped her pencil against her spiral notebook as she sat in history class, feeling rather bored. Usually, history was interesting, but the topic the teacher was now going over, Isabella had already known about inside and out. She stared out the window at the campus and thought back to the Student Council meeting.

Milly, as Lelouch, Shirley and Nina had all said, was thrilled to gain a new member and welcomed Isabella with open arms. Isabella had made the final decision of becoming an official member after the first meeting and this made Milly even more ecstatic.

"Miss Liberata, please pay attention," the professor tapped her ruler against the teen's desk and she snapped out of her trance.

"Sorry," she muttered and rubbed her eyes, then regretted it because she had smeared the little mascara she was wearing across her fingers. Isabella blew back her bangs at the sight of the small, black smudge then proceeded with taking notes.

After another minute dragged by, there was a knock at the door and the professor strode over to it. Rather curious, Isabella kept her ears perked to see if she could recognize any voices.

"Class, if I could draw your attention over here, we have yet another new student. Please come in and introduce yourself," the professor stepped aside and a tall, handsome boy of seventeen casually made his way to the front of the room, his brown hair swaying above his forest green eyes as he walked. Isabella immediately recognized him and she felt her face light up.

"Hello, I am Suzaku Kururugi, and I'm the newest student here at Ashford Academy," he said and caught sight of the beaming Isabella.

"Thank you Mr. Kururugi, you may now take your seat next to Miss Liberata. Now as I was saying, Joan of Arc..."

"Hey! Long time no see, Suzaku," Isabella whispered when he had sat down next to her.

"I know right? Seven years, I barely recognized you. You look so different," Suzaku said and Isabella smiled at him.

"So do you, you've gotten pretty hot!" Isabella said a little too loudly and even the teacher paused.

"Miss Liberata, please leave. You're clearly not paying attention," the teacher's face was very red and Isabella felt as if her cheeks had been set on fire. Suzaku had to ball his hands in front of his mouth to keep himself from bursting out laughing.

Isabella silently gathered her books, her eyes extremely apologetic and she slowly walked out of the class room into the hall.

_Damn it, I need to learn when to shut my mouth! _Isabella scolded herself and began to go back to her dorm, _at least there's only twenty minutes left of class and it's the end of the school day. The professor never does anything the last few minutes of class but let us do our homework. _

She started up the stairs, her thoughts jumbling together due to pure embarrassment and tripped over the top step. Isabella began to topple to the floor and knocked into another girl, then felt her whole body and time freeze. Her breath stopped for a moment and then she suddenly jerked and felt her head connect with the tiled floor.

"Ouch," Isabella grumbled, closing her eyes and sitting up, rubbing the side of her head. "Hey, are you alright? I didn't mean to run--" she opened her eyes and no one else was there. Isabella blinked several times and searched the deserted corridor with her eyes, but she was alone.

_That's weird, I thought I bumped into someone...and what was that sudden freeze I felt? Wow, my eye really hurts too..._

Isabella stood and continued walking while rubbing her right eye as well. It wouldn't stop tearing up and yet she didn't feel anything in it.

_Damn mascara. Maybe it's irritated to it..._

She reached her dorm and went into the bathroom after tossing her bag on her bed. The door clicked shut and Isabella splashed cold water on her face for several minutes without looking in the mirror first. Her eye didn't stop itching and Isabella finally gave up after a few unfruitful moments. She dried her face off and finally looked into the mirror. Her right eye was glowing bright red, and in the middle of it, was a bird-like symbol. Isabella shrieked and fell backwards, bumping her tailbone against the tub before falling onto her butt, rubbing her eyes.

_What the hell is this?! Why is my eye...? What the hell?! _

"It's permanent, I suggest you stop rubbing at your eyes before you make it fall out," a soft voice instructed and Isabella gasped. A tall girl dressed in a white combat-like suit stood in the doorway, her golden brown eyes blank as they stared at Isabella.

"Who the hell are you?!" Isabella cried and grabbed the conditioner bottle off the side of the tub.

"You know, you're being rather rude to me," the girl said and stepped in front of the mirror before beginning to play with her green hair. The blank stare, however, did not leave her pretty face.

"I'm sorry, but you appear out of nowhere in my dorm bathroom and start telling me this red thing in my eye is permenent," Isabella's black hair hung in her face and was spilled about her shoulders as she glared at the girl then slowly rose to her feet.

"First of all, it's called a Geass," the girl said and Isabella stress marked, "and second, my name is C.C."

There was a brief pause and C.C. picked up one of Isabella's red scrunchies to tie back her green hair.

"Geass, that's just an Irish myth, a curse actually," Isabella began carefully and C.C. sighed, irritated.

"The Geass I gave you was not intentional. I can't explain how exactly it happened but when you tripped, you knocked into me and somehow in the process the power transferred to you," the green haired girl explained and Isabella crossed her arms.

"Alright then, how does this power work?"

"It varies from person to person. Some are able to freeze time, others can make someone do whatever they want. Yours I am coming to understand is you are able to read a person's mind and control their way of thinking. However, you only have ten minutes inside their mind from the moment you look at them and you will have to be within eighty yards of them. Any farther and the Geass won't work. Also," C.C. faced Isabella, "we now have a contract."

"Okay...and that is?"

"A formal agreement between two or more people that is made and agreed to and both sides benefit from it."

"No, I mean the circumstances of the contract smart ass," Isabella growled and stress marked. C.C. looked as if she were slightly shocked that someone would have enough nerve to talk to her that way.

"I gave you the power of Geass, therefore you must take my immortality at some point in time," she explain and Isabella cocked an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute, first you tell me I have this Geass power now you're saying you're immortal? What the hell are you exactly?" She didn't intend to be rude but by now, Isabella felt as if she had stepped into some drama/sci-fi/supernatural to a certain degree anime and was now playing the heroine that had no idea what she was doing.

"That doesn't make a difference now, just do something useful with the power you behold now. You'll be very useful to someone else I know," C.C. remarked and again, Isabella felt her brain twist.

_She leaves me more confused than algebra and Nina while in her scientific rants put together..._Isabella thought mournfully.

"Is it pointless for me to ask who else you know with this...power?"

"Yes, because I won't answer you."

Isabella sweat dropped and then heard the bell ring for the end of the day.

"Uh-oh---" she looked at C.C. (who still was staring blankly at her) and shoved the green haired girl out the bathroom door."You need to go back to wherever you came from. I have a bad feeling you shouldn't even be here!"

"You should cover up your Geass before someone sees it," C.C. said.

"How do I do that? Eye patch?"

"No, I left a contact lens for you that's the same color as your eyes. Use that," C.C. said and Isabella caught notice of a black box on her bed."I'll ask later. You leave before you get in trouble."

C.C. left and Isabella dove to the bed and slammed the bathroom door shut as she sprang back inside just as Shirley and Nina came laughing into the room.

_Shit...how do I explain the box...I better hide it in here then wait until I get a few seconds alone to stash it in my suitcase...they never bother to look under my bed..._

Isabella delicatly placed the contact lens in her right eye and it shifted from red to its usual lively green. Feeling relieved, Isabella opened the cupboard and skillfully stuck the box into her package of pads. She prayed neither of her roommates would need one anytime soon. Taking a deep breath to calm herself of any other anxiety she had, Isabella opened the door, startling her two friends.

"Oh, Isabella, I didn't know you were back already. The history class room is on the other side of the Academy," Shirley said her eyes looking slightly worried, "you're not feeling sick are you?"

"No, I--er--got kicked out of class," Isabella rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed and smiled awkwardly.

"Really? Why?" Nina asked and Isabella's face went scarlet.

"Well, we have this new guy and he's a childhood friend of mine. I said he had gotten really hot since I last saw him, which was seven years ago and the professor was irritated because that was the second time I hadn't been paying attention in class," she explained and Shirley started to laugh.

"That's so you. I haven't known you very long but I can just picture that happening," the red head giggled and Isabella hit her with a pillow.

"You're real funny!" she couldn't help falling into a fit of laughter and Nina had to sit down to keep from falling over.

"So, what are you planning for tonight Isabella?" Shirley asked after the three of them had stopped laughing.

"I was planning to go see Nunnally, I haven't been able to talk to her all that much. I also would like to see Lelouch too," Isabella replied and hugged her stuffed bear sitting on her pillow.

"Oh. You an Lulu are really close, aren't you?" Shirley seemed to become distant and Isabella tilted her head.

"We're just friends. There's no romance, incase you were wondering...okay, well I kissed him once but I was feeling about every emotion known to man because I had gotten my freedom back...but other than that, if you like him, don't worry about me," Isabella said and her friend seemed to perk up more.

"Um, okay! Well, when are you going over?"

"In a few hours. I want to get my homework done first. Hey Nina, we all should plan a shopping trip for the dance coming up! That would be so fun!"

"Yeah, we should! That would be tons of fun," Shirley agreed.

"Alright, let's go this weekend then," Nina put in and Isabella smiled.

**Later that Evening...**

"The origami you made is gorgeous, Nunnally," Isabella told the young, blind girl.

"Thank you Isabella, I love yours too, your kitten is adorable!" Nunnally guided her slender fingers over the orange origami cat Isabella had just finished. "Meow." She laughed softly and Isabella joined in.

"So how have you been Nunny? You've really grown and you've gotten so pretty," Isabella asked as she began to fold a red piece of construction paper into a swan.

"Despite being a cripple, I've been great. Big Brother takes such wonderful care of me and he sacrifices so much for me. I hope one day I'll be able to do the same," Nunnally answered and Isabella felt another smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah, Lelouch is amazing, isn't he?"

"Hey Isabella, if you don't mind me asking, but are you still in love with him?" Nunnally asked quietly, and Isabella froze.

"Well, I--er--I'm not sure--I guess not but I do love him as a friend, he's amazing." For the first time in her life, the teen actually found herself grateful the person next to her was blind and couldn't see how dark red her face was going.

_Now that I really think about it, I'm not sure if I'm in love with Lelouch or not...I admire him and I'm so grateful how he freed me from being a slave, but is being in love with him the emotion I'm feeling? I do get a little overly excited when I see him and I make every excuse ever thought of just to be by him...I'm probably just obsessed. No...I'm not in love with him...I just really admire Lelouch..._

The door slide opened and Lelouch walked in then sat down next to his sister.

_Oh my God is he irresistibly sexy!_

"Hello Nunnally, Isabella," he greeted and Isabella smiled brightly.

"Hey, how's it going, Lelou-chan?"

"Did you have a good day Lelouch?" Nunnally asked.

"Yes, I did. Oh, Nunnally, someone is here to see you," Lelouch said and once again the door slide open almost silently.

"Who is it?"

"You'll see."

Suzaku strode into the room, seeming almost cat-like how he moved so gracefully and quietly. Isabella swallowed her laughter down and Suzaku lightly touched Nunnally's hand. She gasped and stroked it then touched his face.

"Suzaku!"

"Hey Nunnally."

Isabella stood up and stretched out her arms.

"Hey, I don't want to seem like I don't was to stay, but I've got a ton to do tomorrow. Shirley, Nina and I are all going shopping this weekend and I have to get to my job pretty early to get some extra money. I'm broke," she said and Suzaku stood up as well.

"Alright, we'll see you tomorrow then," he said and sat next to Lelouch.

"I'll walk you out," Lelouch said and Isabella saw Nunnally hide the soft smile spreading across her face with her delicate hand out of the corner of her eye.

_You're real funny, Nunnally._

"Thanks Lelou-chan. I'll see you tomorrow guys!"

Isabella kept her pace the same as Lelouch's as they exited the room and went outside.

"I know I've asked you this a dozen times, but are you enjoying yourself at Ashford?" Lelouch interrogated and his friend winked.

"Yes, very much. I'm so happy Suzaku came here too."

"Same here. It's been a while since we've all been together hasn't it?"

"Yup. Nunnally has gotten so beautiful as well."

Lelouch gave a soft laugh.

"Yes, she has," he said as the two of them stepped outside.

"She said you take great care of her too. She loves you so much. I wish--" Isabella stopped as the flashback of her own brother replayed in her memory. Lelouch placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a warm hug.

"I'm sorry about Michael," he whispered and Isabella felt tense for a moment, not used to hugs, but found herself enjoying being in Lelouch's arms then returned his embrace.

"It's alright. I'm sure he, mom and Dad are all still in that paradise I learned about in Sunday school. It may seem strange I'm mentioning that but it brings a ton of comfort to me to know they're all safe and happy," Isabella sighed and relaxed her head on his shoulder.

_I'm liking this a lot more than I should...there's no romance...no romance...none...zero...nada...I wonder what he would do if I ran my hand over his bare back to feel his muscles...GOOD GOD ISABELLA CUT IT OUT!_

They dropped the embrace, Isabella faintly red, and she felt her phone begin to viberate in her pocket.

"Uh...sorry...my phone is ringing. I'll see you tomorrow, Lelou-chan!" Isabella chirped and her friend smiled.

"Alright, have a good night." He went back inside and Isabella pulled her red phone out of her pocket.

"Hello?"

"Isabella Liberata, I have something to ask of you."

She immediately recognized the voice...it was C.C., but she hesitated.

"What is that?"

There was a pause and the girl spoke.

"I want you to use your Geass to help Zero. He could use you and from what information I have collected about you, you practically worship him, don't you?"

Isabella looked into her phone, a deep scowl glowing on her face and her face flushed scarlet.

"I guess you could word it like that. What do you want me to do?"

"You have one of the most powerful Geass powers I have ever bestowed on someone and I want you to use it to its fullest. Your Geass can be a huge help to Zero and I know you want to help fight. You do want Britannia to end its reign, right?"

"More than anything."

"Then you'll do as I say right?"

"Well it's not like I can just waltz in and say I want to become a part of the war, C.C., but if there's a way you could help me out with getting involved then, yeah, I'll kick Britannian ass with this thing."

"Quit making a joke out of it. Now, here's what you are to do: you'll go to the Yokohama docks early tomorrow morning and there you'll see a package waiting for you. Open that and put on the outfit that is inside it then stay there until I get there to get you. It's not a hard task," C.C. finished and Isabella sweat dropped.

"I can handle that. I'll see you tomorrow then, C.C." Isabella hung up and slipped her phone back into her pocket then turned to look back up at the darkened dorms. She saw a swish of green locks then smirked.

_I hope she knows I know where she is now. I'm not the smartest person that ever lived but I'm not totally hopeless._

Isabella spun on her heels back around and continued her walk back to her building.

_So far today: got a Geass power and now I am going to be helping Zero win the war. Not exactly what I had in mind for tonight, but if I get to be useful, it works for me. _

**Okay, I now make things happen very quickly and fast because I have so much to put in this fic! XD 4 reviews please!! :D**


	6. The Echos of Melancholy

**Alright, some more action and drama. I'm not very good at writing war scenes but I gave it my best shot! I hope you like it! And thank you to: Animegirl123456, ****Ensoa****,**** INNER-YAMATA-NO-OROCHI and Cornelia Li Britannia** **for reviewing and ****favoriting****!**

The door creaked open as Isabella exited her dorm room as quietly as she could. It had just passed five thirty and she only had fifteen minutes to make her escape off the campus before her roommates and the rest of the student body would be awake. Reticently, the ebony haired girl crept down the dim hallway as the first sun rays of the day began to stretch across the navy blue sky. Her bare footsteps sounded like a watch being dropped on cotton as she lurked down the shaded staircase and slipped out the front door, clicking it shut silently behind her.

The dewy grass cleaned her dusty feet as she sprinted across the campus and out of sight to the sleepy city. Isabella pushed back the fake lock of icy blue hair out of her disguised, brown eyes and tried to keep the scandalously short, red skirt from fluffing out too much to prevent the panties she had on from being seen. Thankfully, just lingering couples returning from all-night-whatever-they-felt-like-doings were the only ones out and they paid no heed to the sprinting, blue haired girl with her hands pinned to her hips so she looked like a drunk penguin running from a starving polar bear.

_This is the last time I steal a skirt from is so short it barely covers my butt! I didn't think she was comfortable in this kind of clothing..._

Five forty-five. She was far away enough from the school so she could stop running and saw the train station just the empty plat form, Isabella boarded just as it was about to pull away. She sat down on an empty seat and panted, her legs shaking slightly from the running and she stretched them out, hoping to prevent muscle spasms. Her blue wig slipped and she pushed it back, one of the braids tumbling over her shoulder and hitting her in the face in the process.

The whole ride to Yokohama was soft, with only the faint murmurs of the television over her head and the soothing echo of the train wheels gliding over the tracks as it snaked through the now awakening city. Isabella kept her eyes looking back out the wide window at the golden sun and the painted sky splashed with vibrant reds, pinks and oranges. The sea glittered beneath the sky, giving Isabella a relaxed feeling and she rested her back on the wall of the train car.

Another ten miles and she'd be in Yokohama, ready to become Zero's ally. Her life was never going to be the same. She'd be apart of the war, fighting for her friends and Japan, battling for the freedom everyone deserved. She'd repay her parents and make their deaths no longer in vain. They would be able to smile every second in the Heavens now that Isabella fought for them by Zero and C.C.'s sides, beating the corrupt empire everyone was being forced to live in. The unfair laws, the bloodshed, the fear, bitter rivalry, hatred would all disappear and be replaced with equality and a fair society. The world would be able to smile again and the country would be restored to its former beauty. Isabella dreamed of it, and prayed every day for the dreams to become reality.

The train came to a stop and Isabella exited it, stepping onto the rocky road. She slowly approached the dock and spied a small card board box waiting for her on the edge. After the train had chugged away, Isabella cut through the thin tape with her perfectly filed nail and pulled out a long sleeved black shirt and black shorts.

"Black Knight," she breathed and double checked no one was watching her then stripped off her red skirt (technically Shirley's) and white shirt to replace them with the black outfit. Isabella picked up the dark red band out of the bottom of the box and then heard someone whispering her name. She turned to see C.C. and the green haired witch recognized her immediately then motioned for the newest Black Knight to follow her.

Isabella tucked her street clothes into the box and followed C.C. to a hidden away cove where her Knightmare was waiting. C.C. waved and it opened, both girls walking carefully up the ramp and into the Frame. Once inside, Isabella cautiously set the box down on the floor and pushed it up against the wall to keep it out of the way. Removing her icy blue wig off her head, Isabella slipped the secure bobby pins out of her pinned up hair and let it descend gracefully back down to her hips.

"Is she here?" a slightly distorted, mechanical voice asked from the next area of the Knightmare.

"Yes, she's right here," C.C. answered and Isabella turned around to gaze upon the shielded face of Zero.

"Hi," Isabella said and bit her tongue for sounding so stupid. _A little too friendly there Isabella. _

"Liberata, Isabella Liberata, right?"

"Yup, that's me."

"Do you have a brother named Michael?"

"I did, but he died seven years ago at the beginning of the war, or at least I am assuming he did. I haven't seen him nor have I been able to pin point any location he may be at."

"You've done your homework, haven't you?"

"I've searched before but I was never able to get far for--um--lack of many resources."

Zero paused at this and Isabella took notice that C.C. had departed to the driver's seat.

"Zero, should I take off?"

"Yes. We need to get to Nagoya before any other Britannian plans are carried out," Zero accompanied C.C. and stood behind her as she drove.

"Was there a bombing?"

"No, not yet. There's a planned massacre because they somehow found out that you're joining us. Basically they are after you," Zero said and Isabella sweat dropped.

"So...you wanted me to join so that I could get caught?"

"No, we want you to use the strength and determination you have to help us beat them. You'll have to get in there right away and fight using a Knightmare and doing exactly what I tell you to do. Do you understand?" Zero turned to her and she nodded as the vast, blue ocean turned back into land as C.C. steered the Knightmare to Hiroshima.

"Just tell me what to do and I can pretty much figure everything out from there," Isabella said and even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell Zero was pleased.

"Don't forget about your Geass, Isabella. Use that whenever necessary," C.C. reminded her and Zero whipped his head to her.

"You gave her a Geass and didn't tell me?!"

"I gave you yours and didn't tell anyone."

Zero sweat dropped and Isabella felt a vibration beside her. The other two, shockingly, didn't seem to notice and Isabella put her hand against the wall of the machine and felt another vibration.

_I know that feeling...!_

"C.C., they're shooting at us!"

C.C. jerked the Knightmare upward and Isabella ran over to them as Zero shoved a key into her hand.

"Take the Knightmare attached to this one and do what you can!"

Isabella obeyed and sprinted to the other side of the Knightmare Frame and dropped into a smaller one located below it. She jammed the key to activate it and it dropped from the original Knightmare towards the ocean. The adrenaline in her body was pulsing through her veins as she regained control of the great weapon and soared upward where she saw two other Knightmares firing at Zero's and C.C.'s. Seizing the earpiece sitting on the dashboard, Isabella slid it into her ear and began to fire at the Britannians.

"I--Isabella," Zero's voice was broken due to static and the teen continued to shoot her bullets.

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU WORK THIS THING?!" she cried as a huge shield emitted, preventing several thousands of bullets from shooting her down.

"You need to keep at least one of them from being able to catch up with C.C. and me! If they do they'll carry out the massacre plans! We'll hold off the other! Kallen, help Isabella and take down the second Knightmare."

_Damn, I have no idea how to work these machines...and I have no time to read an instruction manual!_

Isabella steered closer and caught sight of another red Knightmare with a humongous sword. Isabella frantically pushed a blinking red button and instantly, the mechanical warrior had its bulky arm transformed into a machine gun and was firing mercilessly. The red Knightmare thrust the sword at the two Knightmares and Isabella crashed hers into one then continued to shoot. The one she was battling fired several times at her and she produced the same shield as she had before. Her attention drew away from the red Knightmare's battle and as she fought the Britannians, all she could feel was the jerking of her own Knightmare and the flashbacks of the whole beginning of the war with her brother, parents and Lelouch played through her mind as she fought.

_Lelouch..._she thought..._Lelouch..._

Stepping out into the sunlight feeling happier than she ever had in her life..._Lelouch..._impulsively kissing him...coming to the Academy...meeting Shirley...Nina...Milly...Nunnally...Suzaku...her friends...her life...the ones she loved so dearly and never wanted sadness to enter their lives...she wanted to protect them...she kept fighting and felt the Knightmare jerk violently but she didn't care. Several bullets penetrated through the Knightmare making it swirl through the air practically colliding with the ocean. Isabella was able to regain control and fired like mad before finding a button that let her have a sword similar to the red Knightmare's. She instinctively launched it at the Britannian Knightmares and shot at them numerous times before her ally backed up and flew down by her while the other two collided with each other, one containing the sword Isabella had launched at them. It had gone straight through one and then crashed into it a split second later. There was an explosion and the two Britannian Knightmares fell to bits and landed into the ocean. Isabella panted heavily and realized she had tears rolling down her face.

"Isabella," a girl's voice said into her ear.

"Yeah..."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, we need to get to Nagoya. Now!"

Isabella floored her Knightmare and headed south to the city. The ruined buildings and the broken people that hobbled around beneath her yanked at her heart strings.

"Damn...Britannians..."

"Search for Zero."

"Just so I know who I'm talking to, this is Kallen right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, oh, there's Zero. He's on top of the building..." Isabella connected to his Knightmare and was able to hear the speech he was giving.

"Britannia has reigned long enough; we will get rid of them! I, Zero, will continue to be your Messiah and I will lead Japan to freedom!"

_Damn, I missed his speech. I love listening to his speeches. They make me want to fight more._

The people that had gathered to listen were cheering and Isabella descended from her Knightmare. She weaved through the crowd to get up to the building and then heard many people off in the distance scream. She whipped around and saw Britannian forces begin to drop bombs and she dashed back to her Knightmare.

"I will not let them get hurt!"

She produced a shield that deflected rubble from hitting the knot of people behind her and drew out her sword.

"Kallen--"

Isabella found herself face to face with a Britannian Knightmare, and from the ornamented way it was put together, Isabella knew she was fighting the general of the army.

"Oh, don't let me have all the fun now," Isabella smirked and thrust her sword. The Britannian had one as well, very similar to hers and they clashed together. Isabella felt her body strain at the force and back up then flew up to kick the other. It fell back and then began to shoot at her. The teenager dodged it as best she could, allow very few bullets enter her machine.

"ZERO GET TO SAFETY NOW!" Isabella cried as the other Knightmare just barely missed stabbing her.

Again, Isabella found herself in the battle with Britannia, the same thoughts running through her mind.

_Why am I thinking of him...Lelouch...why does he keep running through my mind? _

Isabella dodged the second attempt made by the Britannian to stab her and began firing her arm mercilessly.

_Every time something horrible happens...I find myself thinking of him...he was the only one ever on my mind when I was enslaved...now he's all I think about on the battle field...what is this? _

"Isabella, get out of there now!" Zero's voice commanded and Isabella thrust her sword at the Knightmare she was battling.

"What?!"

"Get out of there! They're going to bomb the area! Get out of there!"

Isabella growled and backed her Knightmare up, then flew up into the air. The screen in front of her gave her a bird's eye view of the ground below her and Isabella saw fleeing people running to sanctuaries. She scanned over them, and then saw the familiar black curls run beneath her.

"Scotty!"

Isabella landed her Knightmare without thinking and lowered herself to the ground.

"ISABELLA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! A BOMB IS ABOUT TO GO OFF!"

"Scotty!"

He whipped around and spotted Isabella as she ran up to embrace him.

"Hey, we don't have time. Come on, there's a bomb about to go off and I need to get you and Ami to safety!"

Isabella pulled his hand and he followed.

"She's back at the house with the Alberns. You know, this is the second time you've saved my butt!"

"Don't worry about it just--"

There was a high pitched whistling sound and then an explosion.

"ISABELLA GET INTO YOUR KNIGHTMARE! NOW!" Zero yelled into her ear and she gripped Scotty's hand.

"Come on--!"

Debris flew everywhere and Isabella coughed as she inhaled the dust from the explosion behind her.

"Sco--tty--we have--"

She couldn't stop coughing and she searched for her Knightmare as she ran hand in hand with Scotty. Overhead she heard another whistling and a second explosion making more debris and dust fly through the air. Isabella felt rock cut through her skin and she coughed uncontrollably.

"Ze-ro!" she gagged and then managed to catch sight of his Knightmare. "It'll be okay--Scotty! I'm going--to make you--safe!"

"Isa--bella--I can't run anymore...I can't breathe..."

"It's going to be okay--keep going--!"

She waved it down and it's outstretched, mechanical hand scooped her up. Isabella tried to keep his hand tightly gripped but Scotty's fingers slipped from hers and her eyes widened.

"SCOTTY! NO! DON'T LET GO! ZERO WAIT! SCOTTY!"

"I can't--" he coughed as Isabella was carried up higher and higher away from the chaos.

"NO WAIT ZERO! PLEASE TURN AROUND! SCOTTY!"

The Knightmare continued up into the air and Isabella desperately tried to come up with a way to help her friend. When she had looked back helplessly, Scotty's form had dropped onto the ground and was consumed by the cloudy mixture of debris, broken buildings and rocks.

"_SCOTTY!!_"

**I tried to make this as detailed and sad as I could. It was supposed to be sudden...tell me what you think!! 3 reviews please!! I was excited to upload this chapter. :D**


	7. Isabella No Ketsui

**Here we go...The aftermath of the attack...Please enjoy. I try really hard to make my story spectacular. THANK YOU SO MUCH: Luka14****,**** Cornelia Li Britannia, ****INNER-YAMATA-NO-OROCHI and Viper-Desi ** **for reviewing and ****favoriting****!**

"Somebody get her in here now!" Zero yelled as he steered the Knightmare away from the explosion.

Tamaki and C.C. rushed over to the door and opened it carefully; the wind practically knocking them both over, but the arm of the Knightmare was raised enough so the two of them could pull Isabella to safety. She stepped inside, tears drenching her face, and her green eyes were wide in fear and shock on her now stark white face.

"C.C., take over as pilot," Zero ordered and the green haired witch hopped into the position as soon as he had moved.

"Hey, what's the matter? Please tell me you're not sick," Tamaki groaned, trying to cheer up the strange girl leaning against him but she only reddened in the face, obviously irritated.

"I--j-just w-watched a f-friend of m-mine die and y-you're a-ask-asking me if I'm a-alright?! We c-could have s-saved him! If we had just t-turned around--!" Isabella gasped between breaths and dropped to her knees. Behind his mask, Lelouch felt his eyes begin to burn from compassion for Isabella and he knelt down in front of her before lifting her chin to look up into his masked face.

"There wasn't anything we could do, Isabella. Had we turned around, we all would have died. I'm sorry, but there was no way we could have saved him."

Isabella's eyes shone and she forced herself to her feet, trying to maintain her dignity.

"I believe you, Zero," she said finally and strode over to C.C.'s pilot seat, her red Geass glimmering.

_From here on out, it's all about the war. Defeating Britannia is the main priority, and I am going to have to be strong enough to make sacrifices. It's going to be painful, but this--_Isabella gripped her hand into a tight fist--_this is the Geass I accepted! _

_  
_**Later that evening in the dorms...**

"Hey, Isabella, we haven't seen you all day! Where have you been, you look exhausted!" Shirley exclaimed when she opened the door to see her room mate lying in bed, her hands folded together at her eye level and she seemed to be staring off into space.

"I'm sorry," Isabella whispered, and Shirley glanced behind her, eyebrow cocked, to see what Nina's expression was. The young genius seemed just as puzzled as the red head was, for neither of them had seen their friend all day. It had just passed six o' clock and the rain had been falling in buckets for nearly an hour, but Isabella looked drier than sand paper.

"What's wrong Isabella?" Nina asked and Shirley sat down next to Isabella on her bed.

"Talk to us. You disappear all day then when we see you, you look as if you've seen death," Shirley remarked, her light green eyes shimmering with worry. Nina seated herself at her computer, thinking maybe the answer would somehow magically appear in the Internet, and typed in a search engine address.

"Th-the bomb--k-killed--" Isabella pressed her hands to her mouth and Shirley stroked her hair quickly but tenderly.

"Who was killed? Lulu?" Shirley asked, immediately assuming the worst possible thing she could think of. She hadn't seen him all day either.

"N-no--!"

"Hey, there was a bombing, and there's this article saying one of the victims was Scotty Young. Isabella," Nina swung the chair over to focus on her crying friend, "you knew him didn't you? I remember you telling us about--"

Isabella shot up off the bed and bolted out of the room.

"Isabella wait!" Shirley called after her but she was already half way down the steps.

_I wasn't able to free him like I said I was going to...oh my God...poor Ami...she's alone in that house now...neither of us knew Scotty for very long but--but--for some reason--_Isabella shoved the front doors open and sprinted down the steps into the pouring rain, her socks absorbing the cold rain water on the lush grass--_I can't help feeling the way I do right now! I have no idea why I'm crying so hard over him, but I really wanted to become closer friends with him. I got so attached to Scotty in such a short period of time--I never expected him to end like this--who's going to take care of Ami now for me now that I'm no longer there--!? Ami-chan--! _

Isabella slipped and toppled to the clammy grass. Mud and rain water splattered everywhere but she still pulled herself up and kept running. Where she was running to, she had no idea, but she was totally blinded by both tears and rain water, she didn't notice she had collided with someone until she fell back onto her butt.

"Isabella, what in the world are you doing?" Lelouch asked and Isabella's shining eyes rained tears.

"Lelou, why are you out--"

"I was trying to find Suzaku's cat but he went back inside and I was headed back in as well. What's the matter?"

He knelt down beside her and pushed back her dripping bangs, her eyes still fixed on his.

"Lelou-chan!" she burst and gripped his hand before pressing onto her cheek hoping it would comfort her, "Scotty's dead!"

Lelouch felt his stomach drop and his heart skipped a beat. He resisted giving anything about his being Zero away, and was trying to pass off as being naive, but with watching his best friend cry like this, it was hard.

"How did he die? Do you want to talk about it?" Lelouch asked her and aided her back up to her feet. Isabella gripped his shirt and he held her up, arms around her waist.

"Nina was on her computer and saw there was a bombing earlier today. I read the article and there was a list of the victims and his name was on it--!" Isabella started gasping as she sobbed uncontrollably into Lelouch's shoulder.

"I'm so scared Lelou!" she gasped and Lelouch tightened his arms around her, "Ami is back in that Albern house alone...probably doesn't even know about Scotty yet--! She has to be so frightened...I can't contact her...Lelou-chan..." Isabella lifted her head, her green eyes wide and streaming with tears, "please comfort me! You're so good at that...right? I'm so scared Lelou! Please--help me..."

Lelouch had absolutely no idea what to do without revealing information about his being Zero and he could only hold her, lost of words. Isabella clung to him, desperate for comfort and only half realizing what he was doing, Lelouch pushed her back a few inches by her shoulders and smoothed her dripping, ebony hair back behind her ear.

"I don't know what to say exactly, I'm sorry. What I can tell you is this though," he paused and his face was only centimeters from hers, "I am always going to be here for you whenever you need me. I'll always be here for you."

She studied him and Lelouch brought his hand to a rest on her cheek before locking his eyes on her lips, still bringing his face closer to hers. Isabella's eyes went wide after she felt Lelouch's lips kiss hers, and the same electric feeling that flooded through her body the first time she had kissed him, returned. Isabella felt her heart throb in her chest and she kept her hands on Lelouch's chest as his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her securely against him. After a few moments, Isabella felt herself relax and replied to his sudden kiss the electricity still pulsing through her.

_I'm always going to be here for you…always…_

**Later…**

"Hey, are you alright? You were gone for a while," Shirley entered the deserted commons to see Isabella sitting cross legged on a couch with a laptop on her lap.

"Yeah, I had to calm down and get some alone time. I'm alright now," she said and welcomed her best friend to sit next to her.

"Isabella?"

"Mm-hm?"

"I was wondering again after you left if you and Lulu are…well…together I guess," Shirley blurted out and Isabella's face glowed scarlet.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, it just occurred to me again that since you two have been friends since you were little kids, I figured there was something more between you two," Shirley admitted and Isabella clutched the pant leg of her pajamas as she flashed back to Lelouch kissing her.

_It could have just been an act of impulse…maybe he's forgotten of it by now…it may not have meant anything to him anyway…why does it hurt to think that? And why does that kiss mean so much to me…Lelouch is supposed to be like my brother but this is the second time we've kissed and that same infatuated feeling won't leave! Damn it…I want him and Shirley to be together since it's obvious she loves him…but at the same time I want him to myself…do I love him or is it just stupid infatuation?_

"Isabella?"

"Yeah—oh—sorry, I was just thinking. You know, I can't answer that. I—don't really know."

Shirley gazed at her curiously, her light green eyes seeming to give the emotions of betrayal and heart break. Isabella sweat dropped and tried to say something that would keep Shirley from being hurt, but it was useless to give false hope. There was no way Isabella's feelings would disappear any time soon and she knew it too.

"Shirley, you love him, don't you?" Isabella asked even though she knew the answer.

The red head gave a squeak of surprise then turned redder than Isabella had a few minutes before and raised her hand to her mouth.

"I—I—uhm—well yeah but if you two are together then I—"

"We aren't together. I honestly think that my infatuation—if it's even that—is just temporary. Even if it isn't and I really am falling in love with him or starting to then I still want you two to be together. I think you'd make a better couple," Isabella said and resumed typing on her laptop. Shirley stared at her.

"What about you?"

"I'm just happy I have him as a friend. If he doesn't reciprocate the feelings I have for him then that's fine. As long as he's happy with whom he's with then I'm satisfied," Isabella said unemotionally and Shirley let the words sink in as the clock ticked by minutes and the only sound now was Isabella's pale fingers pressing onto the keys of her computer.

"Right, well, we shouldn't let something like this get in the way of friend ship right?" Shirley perked up and Isabella nodded.

"I agree with you. So what are we doing about shopping?"

"This weekend, tomorrow bright an early!"

Isabella's face shone like the sun as she smiled.

"I can't wait!"

**Midnight…**

Isabella found herself wide awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her briefs memories of Scotty were flashing in her mind, and she couldn't help feeling so sorry for him. He had died so young, so innocent and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. She thought of Ami and how alone she must feel right at the moment.

_I am going to get her out of that house as soon as I can. I will win her freedom so she won't have to be so alone. I can only imagine how the Alberns are treating her…maybe they'll get another servant so Ami will have some company…I can't stand the idea of her being so alone..._

Isabella pulled her covers up to her chin and rolled over onto her side, staring at the wall blankly.

_The question of how I'm going to get her out of there is the obstacle there. I can't just waltz in and take her, I'd be arrested for kidnapping and she'd be sent back. I'm no good at chess and there isn't much else I could do to win her liberty fairly…ironic how I'm worried about being fair after all those damn nobles did and still do to Ami. Even so, I'd have to show some pride and dignity…I'd have to show I'm a better person than those people…_

Isabella's eyelids started to become heavy as sleep began to wash over her like a calming wave.

_I'll get Ami out of there one day…very soon…I'll get her…out…_

Isabella sighed softly and drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

**The Next Day at the Mall…**

"Hey, let's go in here!" Shirley pulled at Nina and Isabella's sleeves to lead them into a clothing store.

"Shirley, this is a vintage store. I didn't know you liked this kind of clothing," Isabella said and fingered a puffy, blood red dress decorated with black roses in the stitching.

"I find some interesting stuff in here sometimes. Hey, Nina, you should get this!" Shirley held up a carved flower bracelet and Nina studied it.

"It's really pretty! I really like it!"

"It would suit you," Isabella chimed in and stuck a wide brimmed black hat on her head. "What do you think?"

She faced her two friends and struck a model pose, making Nina and Shirley both burst out laughing.

"I don't think so, the hat just isn't you," Shirley said through a fit of giggles and Isabella placed the hat back on its rod.

"I agree, however I love this necklace," she said as she caught sight of a rose carved necklace on a leather strap. It wasn't the prettiest necklace she had ever seen, but something about the wooden red bloom intrigued her.

The bloom was no bigger than her two thumb nails put together with glimmering green leaves underneath the silky looking petals. The leather strap looked more like string, but once she was closer, Isabella could tell it was a thin piece of black leather being held together at both ends by a silver clasp.

"I'm going to get this," Isabella said and lifted the necklace off of the tiny, navy blue pillow.

"Wow, that's a unique looking necklace," Nina said and held her bracelet up to it, "they're almost exactly alike but this flower's a white lily with pink streaks on the petals."

"Hey Shirley, how about you get something with a flower on it," Isabella suggested as her friend remained undecided on what to buy.

"I don't know what though. I don't wear earrings much," she said and carefully examined the display of flowered jewelry.

"I really like the Lotus necklace, the pink one right here," Nina pointed out and Isabella joined her friend in seeing what she was talking about.

"Oh wow, I really like this too Shirley, look, it really fits you too," the ebony haired girl said and held it up for Shirley to see.

"I really like it too! The Lilac is pretty as well," Shirley ran her fingers over a lilac bracelet then turned her attention to the Lotus necklace. "I'll get the Lotus. I like it better."

The three girls paid for their jewelry and Isabella immediately secured the rose necklace around her neck. The blossom hung just over her light blue shirt collar and she smiled as her friends followed in suit.

"I love it even though it cost me the rest of my savings," Isabella said as she tightened her pony tail on top of her head.

"They are worth it though. Look how pretty they are!" Shirley said as the three of them stole glances at their reflections in a clothing store window.

The necklaces and bracelet were very unique and Isabella beamed with pride at how the rose around her neck seemed to complement her.

_I don't think I have ever been this content with something so simple…roses in general always remind me of the people I love so much…this necklace is a souvenir of this day with Shirley and Nina…the strong friendship we're developing…just us three shopping and just being carefree and ignoring the fact there's a war going on…_

"Hey, Isabella, let's go get something to eat at the Food Court. I'm thinking pizza," Shirley said and Isabella and Nina nodded in agreement. They entered the crowded area and ordered personal pizzas before sitting down by an artificial oak tree that reached from the floor to the ceiling of the mall.

"We need to do this more often, you know, get out. We don't always have money but window shopping sounds fun so we can get ideas of what we'd like for whenever we do have cash," Nina said as she sipped her cola.

"I have to find a job. I feel like such a bum being seventeen and jobless," Isabella relaxed back on her chair and slurped down her milkshake contently while examining her surroundings.

"I think there's an opening for a job in a book store near school, if that sounds interesting," Shirley informed her and bit into her second slice of cheese pizza.

"Well I can't argue that. I love books even though I'm not the best reader. But, thanks to Nina, I've gone from total dummy to just average," Isabella gave Nina a teasing wink and she smiled.

"You weren't a hopeless case Isabella. You're easy to teach," Nina told her and Isabella grinned, feeling slightly more confident with herself.

"Attention please! Everyone, please exit the building as quickly as possible!" a clerk's voice echoed off the speaker and Isabella lifted her head off of her curled fingers, her lips curling off the straw to her milkshake.

"What's going on…?"

"Please, everyone exit the building as quickly as possible! There has been a bomb threat and…"

The clerk's voice was drowned out by shrieks of terror and Isabella forced herself to look as if she was just as clueless and scared as everyone else.

_Zero, what are you doing?! And why the hell didn't you ever tell me?! _

Isabella flicked her phone open under the table to see a new voice message and then snapped it closed, inaudibly as Shirley and Nina began to stand up.

"Where are we supposed to go?!" Shirley gasped and Isabella stood quickly, rapidly coming up with a plan to make it look as if she was being swept away with the crowd.

_I'll have to use my Geass but I can't right now with them watching…_

Isabella dropped her phone to the floor purposely and reached to get it. As she had planned, the phone got knocked away from her into the crowd became thicker.

"Isabella! Come back!" Shirley called over the wall of humans and Isabella weaved through them.

"I'll be right back!" she lied and reached her phone, Shirley and Nina gone from view.

Isabella stole back into the storage rooms of the mall, completely alone and flipped her phone open again. She pressed the send button to hear the voice message Zero had left for her and triple checked no one had followed her.

"Isabella, what I want you to do is this: use your Geass on whoever you can to get to the roof of the building and I'll send Kallen to come get you. I'm searching for a certain solider and I'd rather do it with you out of the area. Do whatever it takes to make yourself safe."

Isabella snapped the phone shut and shook her head. She removed the green contact off her eye and the red Geass glowed.

"I wonder what he's planning," Isabella wondered aloud and heard approaching footsteps. She pressed herself up against the wall and the running person became closer and closer to her. She braced herself then stepped out into the hallway, a girl with dark brown hair gasping at the sight of Isabella's glowing eye.

The girl backed up and Isabella's became transparent. Her molecules spread out and Isabella controlled herself to go straight into the girl's chest, trying to dominate over her brain as she felt her limbs match up exactly with the girl's.

The body had become paralyzed and Isabella blinked several times to make herself be able to see straight out of the girl's blue eyes. She felt herself gain control over the girl's arms and she flexed the long fingers, the feeling regaining in the legs.

"I've got ten minutes. Looks like I have to possess more bodies if I want to complete what Zero wants me to do." Isabella made the borrowed legs begin to run awkwardly as she weaved through the halls, searching for a staircase. The body felt heavy and it was hard for Isabella to control it but in the last five minutes, she felt herself be able to use it much more easily.

"Where the hell are the stairs?!" Isabella breathed and the echo of metal boots sounded in the hall. "Shit."

Isabella made the girl's feet stop running and searched widely around for some place to hide.

"Oh God…help…" Isabella prayed and saw three Britannian soldiers running straight across the hall. "Oh God…"

Isabella made herself begin to sprint in the opposite direction then saw three more soldiers.

_Wait a minute…this is a good thing…_

The lips on the borrowed face curled into a smile and Isabella directed the body straight for the soldiers.

"YOU THERE!" one of them yelled and aimed his gun. Isabella felt herself leap out of the girl's body and immediately possessed the soldier's body.

_Brilliant…_

Isabella fought for the control and the soldier gasped for breath as the young girl fell to the floor and Isabella increased the effort to control the enemy. After a minute of the soldier fighting internally and his fellow soldiers making feeble attempts to help, Isabella triumphed.

"Hey, are you alright? Can you hear me?!" one asked and Isabella made the head nod.

"Yes, just a muscle spasm but I'm fine," she made him say and waited until the other two had their backs turned.

"General, what do we do with this girl?"

"She looks like that one that we saw with the Black Knights," the General said and the other made her stand on her feet, her eyes still closed.

"I thought her hair was longer."

"No," the General said and aimed his gun, "this is her."

The gun blasted and Isabella watched in horror behind the masked face as the innocent girl fell to the ground, blood forming a pool around her.

"Damn…Britannians…"

"What was that?" the General snarled.

"Nothing," Isabella made herself reply and felt the gun in her hand. "Hey, let's go search around and see if the Black Knights are here."

"Fine, you two go I have to clean up here," the General said and gave the corpse a kick.

_Brilliant again…see if I don't avenge innocent blood…_

Isabella and the other solider took off down the hall and Isabella observed there was no one surrounding the space they were in. Turning down a hallway, Isabella guided the body through the deserted hall and her companion stopped.

"Hey, it's a dead end, let's go search around back," the solider said and Isabella smirked.

"I think I'll go myself," Isabella said quietly.

"What do you—?"

Isabella aimed the gun and fired four times, hitting the solider in the neck, chest hip and in the face. He crippled to the tiled floor, his gun clattering beside hand and a crimson pool forming around his entire body.

"I'll avenge the innocent blood you have spilled, you vermin," she said darkly and grabbed the second gun as she sprinted away.

Isabella passed two more soldiers and shot them both to death, confiscating the bullets out of their guns.

"I need all I can get…can't take any chances…" Isabella told herself as she reloaded the first gun and ducked under a staircase.

"Where is he?! Where is that traitor?!" she heard more trampling footsteps coming from in front of the stairs and readied the guns.

"YOU--!" the General yelled and Isabella didn't hesitate to fire both her weapons simultaneously, killing one more soldier and injuring two others including the General. The three remaining shot at her but she managed to weave through the bullets with inhuman speed.

Isabella began running again but the soldier's body was becoming heavier and heavier with every step she took.

_Oh no…the ten minutes are up! _

Isabella felt herself being flung from the body and the two guns crashed to the floor next to her transparent body. The dazed Britannian she had possessed swayed on his feet and there were more gunshots. Blood sprayed all over Isabella's face as she seized the two weapons and sprinted away but not fast enough.

"CATCH HER! SHE'S THE ONE WE SAW!" the General yelled and his comrades obeyed him.

"Shit…I totally forgot about the ten minute limit…Zero's gonna kill me if these bozos don't!"

Isabella whisked through the halls, her body still in a spirit like presence, and kept the guns clutched in her hands. She heard more metal boots chasing after her and she sprinted up four stairwells through a back room she had found up to the roof. The soldiers followed her and she aimed the guns at them, firing mercilessly. She reached the roof and saw a red Knightmare heading in her direction and Isabella waved her hands in the air wildly to flag it down.

"This is my last straw with you," the General hissed and aimed his gun at her.

Isabella gasped and dropped her weapons as her body became more solid and the gun exploded.

"N-no…Michael…don't let them…" Isabella's memories of her brother flashed through her mind as pain seared through her body.

The second gun dropped to the cement landing and the roar of the Knightmare became distant as screams echoed in her ears and she fell backwards.

**Don't worry, Isabella will be okay...just a plot twist. XD Anyway, 3 reviews before next update woudl be great! I'm sorry this is so slow...I have so many other stories...:( But thank you for being so patient with me!! :D It's greatly appreciated! ^^**


	8. Amnesia

**I was bored so I updated again. No reviews but this time I'd like some. I love feedback! ALSO I'm on winter break so much much uploading! This chapter is really...confusing I guess but I'll explain some stuff that is just glossed over. I have to get this moving so yeah...and is Isabella an OK character? I'm wondering if she seems kind of annoying...I'm working on making her seem more sad because of all she's going through so I'll be making her more...typical I guess to how someone would react to all that's happening. **

Isabella groaned in her sleep and regained feeling in her arms and fingers as she slowly raised her left hand to rub her eyes.

"Hey, welcome back, we thought we lost you for a while there," Shirley's voice faded into her ears and Isabella groaned, her hip extremely sore.

"What happened?"

"You got shot in the whole panic streak in the mall a few days ago," Shirley told her and Isabella opened her eyes to see herself lying down in her bed in the dorm room.

"Here, you've been out for four days," Nina said and handed her an ice cold bottle of water. "The doctors did your surgery and you were somewhat conscious afterward but you've been sleeping since noon two days ago."

"I guess the drugs they use to knock patients out were really strong," Shirley remarked and Nina shrugged.

"Well, Isabella was still breathing when we checked on her, not to mention, Rolo and Lelouch have been worried sick about you," Nina told Isabella as she drained the water bottle, her paper dry throat returning to normal.

"Rolo?" Isabella asked, genuinely confused and Shirley cocked her eyebrow.

"Yeah, Rolo, Lelouch's little brother. You two have been best friends for as long as you and Lelouch have," the red head told her slowly as if Isabella had no memory of the past seventeen years of her life.

"Shirley, Lelouch doesn't have a little—"

"Shirley, is Isabella-onee awake yet?" there was a knock at the door and Nina walked over to open it.

"Yeah, she just woke up a few minutes ago, Rolo," Shirley answered from the bed and a small boy two heads shorter than Isabella walked into the room, his dark violet eyes lighting up at the sight of her.

"Isabella-onee! Onii-san and I have been worrying about you so much!" he beamed and threw his skinny arms around her neck.

"Who—are--?"

"Isabella-onee, it's me, Rolo," the boy said and his eyes were pleading when he looked up at her face, which had a "What the Hell?!" look written all over it.

"I don't know anyone named Rolo…" Isabella told him then glared angrily at Shirley and Nina. "Look guys, I don't have amnesia, alright? I swear to all of you I don't know who this boy is!"

"I'm Lelouch's younger brother! You've been like my older sister since you and Lelouch became friends! It's my Isabella-onee!" Rolo looked heart broken and Isabella wiggled out of bed, her pajama pants crackling with static.

"No, Lelouch doesn't have a younger brother!" she spat at the boy and crossed her arms.

_What the hell? Lelouch has a sister…where is Nunnally? _

"Isabella, you're awake finally," Lelouch's voice came from the door and Isabella turned her eyes to see him smiling at her, Suzaku beside him.

"Lelouch, where's Nunnally?" Isabella demanded and Lelouch's face twisted in confusion.

"Who?"

"Your sister, Nunnally! Where is she?! And who is _he_?!" Isabella pointed her long, pale finger at the brown haired boy sitting on her bed, staring up at her, totally shocked.

"That's Rolo, my brother," Lelouch answered and Isabella growled.

"You don't _have_ a brother. You have a _sister_, now where is she?"

"I think Isabella-onee needs some more rest. We should leave," Rolo said and no one but Isabella noticed the brief, intense flash of hate he shot at her with his violet eyes.

Lelouch, Nina and Shirley all gave Isabella quizzical looks then left and Suzaku followed Lelouch. Rolo got up but stopped at the door to give the ebony haired girl a cold stare.

"Who are you?" Isabella growled and Rolo clenched his fist.

"I'm Lelouch's brother," he said before departing and Isabella was left alone, almost suffocating with confusion.

**Two Weeks Later…**

Isabella waited in her dorm room, rocking back and forth on her bed, her hands clasped over her crossed ankles. The knock at the door she had been waiting for sounded and Isabella sprang up from her bed and opened the door to see C.C. standing before her.

"We need to talk," Isabella said and yanked the green haired girl inside the dorm and locked the door.

"I was wondering when you'd let me back in here. We haven't spoken much since I gave you your Geass," C.C. said monotonically and Isabella pursed her lips.

"I am so damn confused it's not even funny!"

"I beg to differ, I find it hilarious," C.C. sighed and welcomed herself to lie on Isabella's bed comfortably.

"Look you, I have been dealing with some kid named Rolo who claims to be Lelouch's little brother. Lelouch has a sister named Nunnally and I can tell you I have racked my brain more than enough times to try and figure out if I have ever met some boy named Rolo. I swear I never have!" Isabella hissed and C.C. flipped through one of Shirley's fashion magazines.

"So, what exactly are you going to do? Did you read his mind?"

"I can't, that's the other half of the problem!" Isabella spazzed and C.C. chewed her lower lip but her face was empty of emotion.

"There's something else you need to know, Isabella," C.C. told her quietly.

"Am I going to like it?" Isabella asked, her hands muffling her voice as she used them to cover her face and sank down to the floor, exhausted.

"No, most likely not," C.C. answered honestly.

Isabella groaned but C.C. informed her anyway.

"Zero's gone missing."

"Green haired Geass giver says what?"

"Zero's gone."

Isabella felt as if her insides had disappeared and she stared at her green haired companion.

"Z-Zero…how could he…?"

"I don't know but he's gone."

"Is he ever going to…?"

"I don't know."

Isabella felt her knees go weak and her fingers went numb as her breath was strangled in her chest, unable to come in or let its self out.

"Zero…is…missing…is he alive?"

"I think so, I just don't know where he is," C.C. told her and lightly stepped down off of the bed. "Listen," she continued and knelt down by Isabella, whose face was paler than a vampire's, "you still have the chance to fight with me and maybe Zero will return to us. I'm leading the war in Zero's place until he returns, alright? Do you still want to fight? Your Geass is extremely useful and it is a very valuable weapon."

Isabella ran her fingers through her black hair before answering and then inhaled deeply.

"Just tell me what you need me to do. I'm not going to stop fighting for Japan," Isabella declared and stood herself up. For the first time since they had met, C.C. felt a true smile of gratitude spread across her face for Isabella.

**Later that Day…**

Kallen paced around the Academy's campus, a red notebook held in her slender hands in front of her. She didn't know who or what she was looking for in particular but C.C. had ordered her to find Isabella. Without any knowledge of whom Isabella Liberata was, Kallen could only aimlessly walk around until she had overheard the name.

"Shirley, hey, when is the next Student Council meeting?" a girl with hip length, ebony hair jogged up to her red haired friend and Kallen slowed her pace down, hoping to hear a name.

"Tomorrow, and oh, Isabella, Rolo wanted to talk to you. Last time I saw him he was over by the hill with Lelouch," Shirley informed her and Isabella tried not to grimace. She hadn't gotten used to the fact that Rolo was in the picture instead of Nunnally (she had also began a search for the true sibling of Lelouch) but forced a bright smile on her face anyhow.

"Alright, I'll go find him. I'm not doing anything," Isabella said and Kallen followed her as Isabella half jogged, half walked away.

Isabella didn't sense Kallen behind her, and continued walking as Kallen did without causing suspicion. She casually stopped a few times but kept Isabella in her sight for at least ten minutes. Finally Kallen decided to stop the girl to confirm if she was the warrior that had helped Zero against the Britannians in the bombing threat and attack.

"Hey, Isabella," Kallen called to her and the girl stopped, turning around.

_It is her…_

"Hello, Kallen," Isabella greeted and smiled.

_Yep, I remember you…you're that same girl that helped me fight those Britannians in the bombing attack in Hiroshima…_

"I was just wondering if I could get a homework assignment from you…"

_What are you really thinking Kallen?_

Isabella cocked her eyebrow and her Geass activated behind the green contact in her eye but Kallen didn't notice. Isabella stared straight into the sapphire blue eyes, the hidden thoughts now becoming obvious as Isabella explored her mind.

_I know you have a Geass…I don't know what exactly you can do with it but I know you have one. _

_"Go on," _Isabella's thoughts encouraged her as she telepathically transferred her thoughts into Kallen's_. "What is it you want? I can read minds and possess and control people's bodies with my Geass. How did you find out about it?" _

_I saw you do something when that solider shot you. Your body was transparent but became solid and you looked like a spirit. My options were either A. Not human or B. you had some type of power that allowed you to…well I'm not exactly sure._

_"I can possess and control anyone's body anytime I want. I can also read people's minds when I want to and I'm just now discovering I can transport my thoughts into someone else's mind as long as I am looking at them." _

_Okay…so it only has to be you looking right? I don't have to make eye contact?_

_"Why do you ask?" _

_Just incase I ever need to tell you something and I can't say it in the hall but somehow get your attention and not have to look like I'm staring at you. If that happens too often…people will assume things…_

_"I get what you mean. I can't hear what your voice is saying though. How can you hold two conversations at once…one being telepathic…which is sort of weird…?" _

_I don't know…from what every one on the campus hears I'm just rambling._

_"Right…"_

_We better get out of each other's heads or something before this gets weird. _

_"We're having a telepathic conversation, Kallen, how much weirder can it get?" _

_Good point…_

Isabella pulled herself out of Kallen's mind and felt herself sway slightly as she regained her balance.

"Alright, just do questions one through fifteen at the end of the chapter and you should be good," Isabella said and handed Kallen a slip of paper.

"Thanks Isabella, I really appreciate this," Kallen told her and started back to the building.

"No problem, I'll see you later!" Isabella called and Kallen waved.

_This Geass is so convenient…I honestly can't see many draw backs in having it._

**Later…**

"Isabella, wait up," Suzaku called to her as the students flooded out of history, Isabella weaving skillfully between them.

"Hey Suzaku!" she said to him and flattened herself against the wall for him to catch up.

He stood in front of her; books clenched in his hand and pressed his hand against the wall beside her.

"I wanted to ask you something," he told her, his face flushing red and Isabella tilted her head slightly.

"Okay, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go see that new movie coming out next weekend with—"

"Suzaku, Isabella, hi," Lelouch was twisting through the crowd and for the first time in his life, Suzaku was not happy to see him.

"Lelouch-kun! Hi!" Isabella's face lit up and she sprang into his arms for a hug. (She did this frequently to pretty much everyone she knew.)

"Hi Isabella, are you busy next weekend?"

Suzaku felt his face begin to burn and it turned redder than a Valentine's Day heart.

"Suzaku was about to ask me something," Isabella said and then turned to back to the brunette, "you asked if I wanted to go see a movie right?"

"I was about to, yeah."

"How about we all go then, it would be fun!" Isabella (who was oblivious to Suzaku's true intentions due to interruption) beamed and her smile shone brighter than the lights in the hallway.

"Sounds good to me," Suzaku shrugged. _I guess…_

Isabella gave a light giggle then left the two boys to return to her dorm room, Suzaku's face reddening again.

"I spoiled it didn't I?" Lelouch asked, almost reading his best friend's thoughts.

"Not to sound cold but, yes. Are you sure you're not interested in her? That move just screamed 'I like her, back off'," Suzaku half accused half teased.

Lelouch rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"Well, I've had a thing for her for a while," he admitted, "but I don't think she's reciprocating the feelings."

"It would suck if she's not interested in either of us…maybe there's some other guy…" Suzaku wondered.

"No, she doesn't talk to or know any boys but us, Rivalz and Rolo…actually, she hasn't talked to Rolo since she came back from the hospital," Lelouch remarked and Suzaku's eyebrows rose.

"That's weird; she's always been attached to his side."

_Unless Charles forgot to rewrite her memories too…if he forgot that's setting a death bed for Isabella and everyone she knows!_

"I know, and she kept saying something about me always having a sister," Lelouch continued.

_NOT GOOD!_

"The medicine must have done something to her, making her hallucinate or something. I'm sure she's off to find him now," Suzaku covered his inner panic and Lelouch shrugged.

"As long as they get back on good terms. Rolo has been heartbroken Isabella's being so cold to him," he said and Suzaku pushed his fingers through his brown, wavy hair.

_When she got shot…she must have been taken to the hospital right away because Charles has rewritten everyone's memories except for mine. Lelouch, Shirley, Nina…everyone that Isabella is close to...their memories are gone…_

**Flash Forward four months…**

_Shit this sucks! So effin convenient! _ Isabella thought bitterly to herself as her Knightmare was struck by the Britannians.

Isabella yanked the steering wheel upward towards her chest and made the machine jerk up as well, pinning her against the driver's seat.

"Damn it…" she muttered and sped forward before flipping over and striking the Britannian Knightmare in the middle with her sword.

"ISABELLA BEHIND YOU!" Kallen yelled into the ear piece and Isabella swung the sword protruding from her Knightmare's arm blindly.

"What the hell!?" she cried as a white Lancelot soared through the air above her. "The Lancelot…again…but how--?!"

The Lancelot began to fire mercilessly and its Maser Vibration Sword swung out of its wrist and plunged through Isabella's Knightmare. The blade skimmed across her bicep, scarlet drops beginning to slip between the cut skin and trickle down her arm.

"What the hell?!" she gasped and jerked the steering wheel.

The Lancelot retreated back it's MVS as Isabella struggled to regain control of her Knightmare.

"Kallen watch for the Lancelot!" Isabella yelled and she saw Kallen's red Knightmare dodge the MVS effortlessly while firing endlessly.

"What is with this…?" Kallen gasped as the Lancelot threw a red shield around itself.

_Damn it…this is going to really irritate me…I can't defeat it as easily as the other Britannians…_

Isabella sped in for back up and readied her sword to plunge it into the Lancelot but it turned and caught the blade right as it was about to impale the great mechanical warrior. Isabella swung her Knightmare away, letting the Lancelot rip a chunk of her Knightmare off. She lost control and the Knightmare spun through the air and toward the crumbling ghettos.

"ISABELLA!" Kallen screamed as the Knightmare erupted in a cloud of smoke and dust as it plunged into the ghettos.

The Knightmare screamed against the concrete and jolted to a stop. Isabella felt her body fly forward and crush her head on the control panel, a thin ribbon of blood trickling down into her eyes.

"Shit…" she muttered and yanked her gun out. "I need to get back…then get some Advil when I get back to Ashford…everyone thinks I'm out shopping with Kallen and Suzaku…"

Isabella adjusted the same icy blue wig she now used as a disguise during battle and carefully tucked back her ebony bangs before cautiously stepping out of her destroyed Knightmare. The white Lancelot shone against the smoke covered sky and Isabella desperately connected to C.C.

"C.C., my Knightmare is completely annihilated and Kallen's fighting against the—"

"Don't move," a sharp voice ordered from behind her and Isabella felt her heart stop.

_That voice…why is it so familiar…?_

Isabella gripped the cool gun in her hand and C.C.'s voice whispered into her ear.

"Where are you? I can't find you!"

"DON'T MOVE!" the Britannian yelled as Isabella made a gesture to turn around.

_His voice…I can tell it's the general…but his voice is so familiar…_

"Isabella, answer me!"

"Ghettos…"

Isabella heard more footsteps approaching and let her head turn slightly over her shoulder to see yet another Britannian running toward the general.

"Sir, you sent for me."

"Yes, Jeremiah, I did. Lord Kururugi is battling two Eleven Knightmares and I need you to stay here and finish her off so I can help him," the general said and Isabella felt a twisted smile pull the corners of her mouth upwards.

"Kururugi…Suzaku…he's the one…ah…haha…hahaha!" Isabella's shoulders shook as she threw back her head, the icy blue hair cascading down her back to the middle of her rib cage as she laughed maniacally.

"You…all this time…these past four months…Suzaku…I thought I had actually destroyed the Lancelot…" Isabella whipped around and fired her gun four times, striking the general once, her green eyes glowing like a cat's.

"First you bastards take my parents and brother away from me…then my best friend…my freedom…now Suzaku…." Isabella said between crazed fits of laughter, "you killed my parents…my brother…you stole my life…!"

Jeremiah stood back up, his blade protruding from his shirt sleeve.

"You'll see them again," Jeremiah hissed and motioned for the general to leave.

"You—BASTARD!" Isabella screamed and fired her gun until she was almost deaf from the sound. Jeremiah only walked toward her, unharmed and Isabella gasped as she seized her wrist and threw her against a broken stone building.

"What the--?!"

"I am a creation of the Britannian emperor," Jeremiah stared as Isabella forced herself to her feet, blood still staining the white flesh on her face. She growled and yanked her dagger out of a strap on her leg and attempted to plunge it into Jeremiah's heart.

"YOU STOLE EVERYTHING FROM ME!"

Jeremiah stepped out of the way and crushed Isabella's wrist with his hand. She heard her bones crack under the steel grip and her head crush into another brick wall as her teeth gritted, her head throbbing.

_Possess his body…do it…possess him…_

Isabella's Geass activated as she glared straight into Jeremiah's gleaming eyes and she felt her molecules expand. She had almost entered his body but a force had blown her back as she toppled to the ground once again.

_How can he deflect my Geass?! No one has ever done that before…what the hell is he?!_

"What are you?" Isabella snarled and Jeremiah smirked as he kneeled down before her.

"In short simple terms, the Britannians used my body as an experiment and I'm able to negate the power of your Geass," he said and Isabella grimaced as he yanked her back up to her feet by her broken wrist. "You're bullets are useless against me as well. You're powerless next to me; you're a sad case really."

The blade shot back out of Jeremiah's wrist again and Isabella felt her body crashing into another building.

"I won't—let—you—win--!" she gasped through her pain and she felt her warm blood flow over her pale lips.

"What makes you think you can stop me?" Jeremiah asked and Isabella quickly observed around.

_The train station…go there…_

_Why? _

_Run…_

Isabella struggled to her feet, swaying back and forth, the throbbing and stabbing pain making her want to lye down.

_Come on…run…get up…_

Isabella felt her feet begin to move under her and her arms pumped at her sides as she sprinted away to the train station. She stumbled around, almost falling several times but she kept going, tears of pain blinding her.

_Lelouch…Lelouch…!_

_Run…keep running…almost there…_

_Lelouch…I finally figured it out…Lelouch…I'm doing this for you…I'm fighting because of you…_

Jeremiah chased her through the polluted street, firing his gun every few paces but Isabella dodged them, her mind only on Lelouch.

_Four months…it has taken me four months to finally admit it to myself…Lelouch, your existence is the very reason I'm fighting…_

Isabella reached the station and sprinted across the tracks to the control panel…

_I put myself in this position because your very existence is the one thing that keeps me going in life…I live for you…I'm here right now because of you…at first I thought it was because of my parents but now I've come to realize…I'm fighting…for you…_

She yanked the control panel open and pressed a red button making four Gefjun Distributors emerge out of the tops of the trains.

"Impossible! How could you have known that?!" Jeremiah yelled as the Distributors paralyzed him.

"Lelou…"

Isabella kept her hand pushing against the button, tears streaming down her face and gasped for breath.

_I'm fighting for you Lelouch…I'm here because I want you to have a happy life…I want a world where you can just live in peace…even if I'm not there as well…if I die in this war…it's in your honor…_

"Kallen, I've found Isabella!" C.C. yelled as she spotted the icy blue wig in the train station, and sped her Knightmare across the sky to her friend.

_Lelouch…my reason for existing…_

Her mind flashed back again to kissing him for the first time…the many smiles that lit up his face when she saw him…kissing him in the rain after Scotty's death…his comforting and consoling arms wrapped around her body…he had always been there for her…he had been her reason for existing since they both had been born…

_Yes…it's because of him I am here now…he's the one that kept me going all those years…_

Jeremiah's yells continued as he struggled to move his feet over to the young soldier. Blood dripped over his orange eyepiece as he force himself to move, Isabella also feeling herself beginning to slip into unconsciousness.

"C.C., there's a Britannian with her," Kallen cried back and C.C.'s gold eyes widened when she saw the fading girl holding the Distributors control button with every effort she had to not faint.

C.C. landed her Knightmare and dashed out over to Isabella, whose eyes were half closed and cloudy.

_Lelouch…Lelouch…don't let me slip away…not yet…Lelouch…I love you…_

Jeremiah fell to the ground, blood dripping off his eyepiece at the same time Isabella fell back into C.C.'s arms, the crimson ribbons still trickling down her forehead and out of her mouth.

_Lelouch…Mom…Dad…_

Tears slipped through her eyelids as C.C. swiftly carried her back to her ship and took off as more Britannian soldiers began to circle the area.

**Yeah...things are going to be happening fast because of how much I want to happen in this story. I'm making it as exciting as I can. **


	9. Love

**I am very excited for the reviews I got! Thank you so much lordmarik (soul mates?! I'm so flattered!!!!! :D) and XamandaluvsyaX!! I'm so happy you like my story! Enjoy again!! **

"I really wish I stopped fainting all the time," Isabella muttered as she paced around the ship, Tamaki's brown eyes watching her as she walked.

"Then don't be such a wimp when you go into the war zones," he muttered and C.C. slapped the back of his head.

"She's the one that's always getting shot. Be quiet and don't call her weak," the witch snapped as he shot her a dirty look while rubbing the place she had smacked him and Isabella ran her fingers through her black hair.

"We need to find Zero. C.C., you said he was missing," Isabella thought aloud and C.C. nodded.

"We're keeping this information from the public, however, to prevent any of us getting thrown in prison," she told her comrade and Isabella ceased pacing

"Who's posing as Zero?"

"I am," C.C. said and Isabella sweat dropped, feeling very stupid.

"That would make sense."

"Anyway, we're searching for him now. One day he was here then the next, he's gone," Kallen said as Isabella flopped down next to Tamaki, her head still aching from two days previously.

"I have to get back to school," Isabella groaned and twisted her fingers in her bangs, "I called in sick two days in a row…Nina and Shirley probably have been spazzing out because Kallen and I have been no shows for the past forty eight hours. I'll keep up with the search but Kallen and I both have to do so in a way that any suspicion won't arise. Constantly missing school in this day and age would raise suspicion and if I see one more Britannian solider, I think I might impale him. "

"Such lovely thoughts," Tamaki smiled and Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Baka."

C.C. bit into a piece of cheese pizza and hopped off the back of the couch.

"I'll be coming with you. Oh, Isabella, I need to stay in your dorm now," the green haired girl said through a mouthful of cheddar cheese and Isabella jumped to her feet, her face horror-stricken.

"EH?! I ALREADY HAVE FOUR PEOPLE IN MY DORM!"

"Good luck trying to prevent suspicion there Isabella," Tamaki smirked and Kallen slapped him on the back of the head.

**A Week Later….**

"Isabella-onee, are you sick? You haven't left your room all day," Rolo knocked on the door and Isabella yanked the covers over her head, not wanting to see him.

_This twerp does not take no for an answer…he doesn't leave me alone! _

"What do you want Rolo?" she growled from underneath the warm blankets and Rolo let himself into the dorm, closing the door with a faint click behind him.

"I really am misunderstanding why you don't like me, Isabella," he said, dropping the act for a few moments and Isabella gave a cat like growl into her pillow, trying to prevent herself from clawing his face.

"You're apart of the Britannian army…I hate Britannia. It's because of people like you I lost everything and this whole country is in turmoil. My parents and brother are dead because of you," Isabella snarled from under the covers and Rolo felt his heart skip a beat.

"How did your family die?"

"A bombing at the beginning of the war…all of them died that day and I was made into a slave. I lost Lelouch for a while too…" Isabella trailed off as the vision of exploding fire consumed her mother as she sadly gazed down at Isabella in the escape passage.

_Mom…_

A tear slipped through her closed eye lids and she swallowed hard, trying to shake to memory out of her mind. She tightened her body up into a ball and swallowed again, the slight pressure of being pushed up as Rolo sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry…" he said and carefully reached out his hand and stroked her ebony hair, "I guess I've been selfish these past few months. What I can't figure out though is how you are the only one without getting your memory rewritten?"

"God's on my side," Isabella sighed and relaxed her body; "either that or He hates me so He decided to make me go crazy."

There was a pause and Rolo stopped stroking her hair, making her sit up.

"Hey, what got you into this whole thing? You're just a kid," Isabella remarked and for the first time since she had met him, really looked at him. Rolo gave her an uncomfortable look and turned his violet eyes back down to his uniform shoes.

"I really don't have anywhere else to go," Rolo said and clasped his hands in front of him, "I'm useful to the Britannians so why leave?"

"What happened to your family?"

Rolo didn't answer and his eyes remained on his shoes. Isabella half consciously reached out and pulled the little boy to her, resting his fragile body against hers. She hugged him, trying to mimic the same way her brother would do to her when he hugged her…petting her head and embracing her tightly…making her feel safe…

"You're just a little kid…" she repeated and Rolo felt surprised by her sudden hug, but he relaxed against her, feeling safe and loved. "You should be in school and going home to your family every day…you shouldn't be with those Britannians…"

"Then, can I call you family? Even though nobody but you and I know this that I haven't known you for as long as everyone believes…but can I still call you Isabella-onee?" Rolo's violet eyes sparkled hopefully and Isabella smiled at him.

"Sure, Rolo-chan!"

_I'm so happy she's not rejecting me anymore…her smile makes me feel like I actually _can_ be loved…and I'm not just a tool to be used by everyone...she's making me feel like…I can truly be human and have the family I've longed for…_

**Later…**

"C.C., I understand your obsession with pizza, but seriously, you're running me dry of hard earned money. I've paid for six different pizzas this week!" Isabella scowled as the witch bit into her third slice of cheese pizza.

"You know how I am. It's like a drug…I simply can't resist it," she said casually and munched happily. Isabella stress marked.

"I'm cutting you off unless you pay for it yourself. I don't mind having pizza delivered to my dorm but you pay from now on."

"I can't."

"WHY NOT?!"

"I don't have any cash."

"THEN DON'T FRIGGIN BUY IT!"

"You have money."

"I have my own needs rather than paying for six pizzas a week! That's beyond ridiculous!" Isabella cried and C.C. shot her a cold stare.

"I gave you your Geass and I'm the reason you're a part of this war…like you wanted to be might I add. I made your dreams come true, so you owe me big time."

"BUT SIX PIZZAS A WEEK?! I HAVE STUDENT LOANS TO PAY OFF!"

"You'll get a hero discount when the war's over," C.C. sassed and snuggled against her Cheese-kun.

"You've got to be kidding…" Isabella whimpered.

"No, I'm not," C..C. said and smiled to her self as the warm pizza was once again in her mouth.

_I swear I don't see how Zero could survive her…when she wasn't with me before this whole ordeal she was probably running Zero dry with her pizza obsession…_

"Aside from this, we have a war to be fighting a hero to be searching for," Tamaki grumbled and Isabella let out a shaky exhale.

"Right…finding Zero is our main priority but also keep in mind we have to find Nunnally as well," she said and Kallen nodded.

"However, I thought you were getting attached to Rolo," she thought aloud and Isabella rubbed the back of her neck.

"I am but I'm the only one that has all of my memories and as far as I know, Nunnally could be in moral danger. If Lelouch gets his memories back and finds out I knew something about his sister and didn't do a thing about it…" Isabella trailed off and tried to shake the horrifying thought from her mind.

There was a pause and Isabella stood up, resuming her former pacing about the ship.

"Wait…" she paused, her green eyes flooding with thought, "Lelouch's memories are rewritten at the same time Zero goes missing…I remember Zero having a violet eye when he saved me only two days before Lelouch challenged Albern…C.C. in Lelouch's dorm building…so many more details…wow I'm an idiot…" Isabella trailed off and slapped her palm to her forehead.

"Lelouch is Zero…" Kallen concluded and Isabella shot her green eyes over to C.C.

"Isn't he?"

"I won't answer that. You have to come up with your own conclusions," the witch said and Isabella chewed her lip.

"For now, we have no solid proof and we can only assume," she said to Kallen and Tamaki let out a rude groan.

"So, if he does turn out to be Zero, what do you plan to do, Isabella?" he asked unenthusiastically but wanted to know the answer.

"Fall more in love with him of course," C.C. answered before Isabella could so much as open her mouth.

"Shut up," she growled and C.C. didn't attempt to hide her gleeful smile as she bit into another slice of pizza.

**Two Days Later…**

Kallen spotted the swish of a black half pony tail and turned around to grab Isabella's upper arm with a shocking amount of strength. Isabella turned and signaled her friend to follow as they walked around the campus, casually chatting about current school events, homework and the usual.

"So it's true then," Kallen switched her note in mid sentence, dropping her voice to a low whisper.

"What's true?"

"Lelouch…"

"I told you, there's no solid proof. The best we have is the fact I saw his eye color but so many people have—"

"No, I mean you being head over heels in love with him," Kallen sighed and Isabella's face shone red. "Don't try and hide it. It's obvious now…your face goes redder than the rose pendant you're wearing whenever his name is mentioned. Plus the history you two have…"

"No need to give me a review lesson on my own life. Yes, I admit it, I'm in love with Lelouch Lamprouge, just like every other girl in this God forsaken school," Isabella growled so only Kallen could hear her.

"It's not real love with the other girls. That's just obsessive fan girl love. I honestly think the only one that truly loves him is you because you've been around him longer and you two have had experiences together no one in this school has ever had. My opinion is, if there's anyone in this academy that deserves Lelouch, my vote goes to you," Kallen said quietly and smoothed a strand of dark red hair behind her ear.

Isabella was quiet and pushed back her rippling black hair as a breeze blew through the campus.

"I don't know if I'm the only one that is truly in love with him," she said softly, thinking back to Shirley and Kallen sighed.

"Really, what is holding you back? To be honest, I think Lelouch feels the same way about you," Kallen told her honestly and Isabella's heart leapt.

"Even so…"

"What is holding you back, Isabella?" Kallen demanded more harshly than she had intended. A few students turned their attention over to them but the two girls ignored them.

"My best friend," Isabella said and started to walk back to her dorm.

_I cannot interfere with Shirley's chances…I just can't. As long as we're friends and she's around, I don't want her to have the broken heart in the end…even though I want Lelouch…I can't do that to her…_

**A few hours later in the Dorm…**

The rain pattered against the window pane as Isabella pulled her knees up to her chest, staring out into the black sky.

"Isabella, are you going to sleep?" Nina asked tiredly from the opposite side of the room and Isabella shook her head.

"I wanted to wait for Shirley to get back. I haven't seen her all day," she said and Nina switched her bedside table light off.

"You know, I've been wondering where you've been running off to," the young genius remarked through a yawn and Isabella focused her green eyes on her.

"What?"

"You're always rushing off somewhere suddenly then you return after two or three days. Do you just play hooky or is there something else?"

Isabella shifted uncomfortably in her bed as Nina's light purple eyes stayed on her.

"I can't tell you."

"Why? Is it really personal?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you were just wondering. I don't mind."

The two girls sat in an uncomfortable silence as Isabella continued to stare out the window, her memories flashing back to her last kiss with Lelouch.

_I love him…I really am in love with him…_

"Isabella?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say something else then I'll leave you to sleep," Nina shifted to her side and Isabella listened, "I have a feeling you're a part of the war, fighting against Britannia. I'm a Britannian myself but even so, I'm always thinking how I hate women with no depth. Some girls here are so fake and…so shallow…cowards…but, when I talk to you…I see…a person with…" Nina trailed off and when Isabella looked at her, she was asleep.

"Save it for another rainy night, Nina girl," Isabella said softly and turned her gaze back out the window.

A another few minutes passed and Shirley entered the room, her red hair damp from a late swim meet and her eyes were slightly puffy as well from what Isabella was able to make out in the dim light. The door clicked shut and Shirley murmured a quiet hello to her best friend then slipped into the bathroom to change. The rain outside fell harder against the window pane and Isabella shivered, burrowing deeper under her covers and laid down. Shirley re-entered the room and there was a long pause when the red head stood next to Isabella's bed, making her shift awkwardly.

"I need to talk to you," Shirley finally said and walked out of the room, Isabella following after pulling on a pair of jeans and casting a curious gaze at her friend.

"Shirley, were you crying about something? What's wrong?" Isabella asked as she followed Shirley down the dim hallway.

"Before you came here, some things happened and I got my memories rewritten. A few months ago, some thing else happened and I had my memories tampared with again," Shirley began slowly, as if she were holding back tears, and Isabella was able to pull the rest together.

"You have them back now, don't you?"

Shirley nodded and then stopped walking, her head hanging.

"Shirley, if there is something you need to tell me then tell me," Isabella said worriedly and placed both hands on her best friend's shoulders, "what is it you're holding back from me?"

"I'm so scared...Isabella, were your memories rewritten...?"

"No, not at all. I woke up from being in the hospital a few months ago and no one had any memory of Nunnally or anything. I thought I was in a parallel universe," Isabella tried to be comical but honest at the same time and Shirley swayed, her head landing on Isabella's shoulder. "Uh...Shirley--?"

"I feel like everyone is spying on me...none of my friends but you have memories...I'm so scared..."

"It'll be okay. Like I say about Lelouch, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Isabella wrapped her arms around her friend in a sisterly way and Shirley's body shook.

"There's no need to be scared."

Isabella let go of Shirley and started back to their dorm.

"Isabella--"

"What's wrong?"

Shirley paused, her hand curling in front of her mouth and her eyes were cast down at the floor.

"Never mind."

Isabella studied her curiously and then the red head followed her room mate back to their dorm.

_I can't tell her about the conversation between her and Kallen I overheard earlier...Kallen thinks Isabella is the only one that truly loves Lulu...she's probably right because of all the history she and Lulu have had. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Lulu was reciprocating the feelings...but still..._

"Shirley?"

"I'm coming," Shirley snapped out of her trance and followed the ebony haired teen back to their dorm.

"You know, we haven't been out for a while. How about we go to the mall again next weekend?" Isabella suggested and Shirley's face perked up.

"Yeah! that would be fun! This weekend?"

"For sure!"

**;.; Next chapter is very sad. ;.; Two or three reviews would be amazing. I love getting reviews. I sometimes think this story is too boring because of so little feedback...but maybe I'm just being a spoiled brat...XD Anyway, 2-3 reviews before next update please!! And Merry Christmas!! :D**


	10. Ashes Remain

**Only one review but I'm so happy! Thank you brunettebookworm14 for the kind words! I hope you like this chapter, I made it extremely long...XD **

"Fail..." Isabella's lips curled upward into a wolf like grin as she effortlessly sliced through a Britannian Knightmare and the gleaming red shield protected her from the thousand bullets attempting to penetrate through her. "Now I win. Checkmate..."

The enemy Frame was disengaged and Isabella giggled darkly as it showered sparks around it and Isabella took off before it blew into pieces.

"That's what you get when you try and destroy Japan," Isabella sang and whipped her sword out of the warrior's body, "now for more fun."

The Geass shone in her eye and Isabella retracted back her blade, deciding it was unnecessary to have it out. She abandoned her Knightmare near a desolate building and lowered herself to the ground, keeping a sharp eye out for any Britannian solider.

"I need to pry information out of them about Nunnally...and that general I have to discover who he is. I know him from somewhere...a distant memory...but i can recognize a note in his voice..." Isabella's thoughts trailed out of her mouth as she began walking casually through the ruins, the icy blue wig's braids tapping lightly against the back of her shoulder.

_I love Rolo like a little brother...but Nunnally...she needs me...doesn't she? I haven't seen her for five months...and I have to keep my guard up for Suzaku...it was dumb to leave my Knightmare but in order to get to those Britannians, I need to be out in the open to activate my Geass..._

Isabella kept to the shadows, trying to hide herself in the looming buildings shadows, the overcast clouds sending an even more haunting feeling through the area. The echos of Kallen's Knightmare battling with another Britannian made Isabella shiver but she continued on like an alley cat roaming the city, looking for a solider and keeping both her ears and eyes perked for Suzaku's Lancelot. Her stomach churned at the thought of fighting with one of the people she lived for; the first time she had encountered the Lancelot she had been trying to kill one of her best friends the whole time.

_Does this really make us enemies? Do I really have to kill Suzaku in order to protect Lelouch and Zero? I can't...no matter what Suzaku does or what side he's on...I couldn't bring myself to kill him...never ever..._

Isabella pressed her fingers to her forehead and her stomach lurched and twisted.

_Damn...I think I'm going to be sick..._

There was a whistling overhead and Isabella looked up at the sky to see the Lancelot speeding towards her, its MVS bolting straight for her.

"Holy shit!" Isabella lept out of the way as the MVS barely missed her then retracted back and sped for her again.

Isabella dodged out of the way, her wig swaying and she sprang back into the protection of the ruined buildings, panting.

"And I try to spare him?! BASTARD!" Isabella shrieked and Suzaku fired several bullets at her.

Isabella yanked her useless weapon out and tried to find him in the piolet seat to make eye contact. Suzaku stared at her through a screen in his Lancelot, the target mark aiming right at her heart, his finger over the firing button.

_Suzaku...why are you on their side...I feel weak..._

Once again, Isabella felt a tear escape out of her eye, her gun aiming up at the Lancelot as a force of habit.

_I can't use my Geass and it's no use running...I'm dead...I'll die here...at the hands of Suzaku...I'm gonna die...I hope he makes it fast...Suzaku...why Britannia? What have they ever done to deserve your loyalty? _

Suzaku's finger froze over the button that would fire at the Black Knight standing underneath his target screen. He didn't know why but something was telling him not to shot the blue haired girl staring up at his Lancelot, her gun pointed up the huge, metal chest, giving her a noble look despite the two weapons difference in size.

_Why can't I shoot? _

Suzaku lifted his finger off the button and lowered the Lancelot to the ground and let himself out. Isabella watched in disbelief as Suzaku exposed himself to her gun point and her hand shook, making the gun rattle.

"W-what are you doing?! Are you stupid?! I could kill you, you know!" Isabella screeched, totally floored by her friend's actions.

"You're the one I've been fighting all this time, aren't you?" Suzaku asked, not recognizing her immidatly. "I find it odd I'm so impressed with your fighting skills..."

Isabella growled and Suzaku's green eyes fixed on her Geass power.

"You really are an idiot! You don't just step out of the saftey of your Knightmare and start talking to an enemy! I could kill you so easily right now!" Isabella cried and Suzaku half smiled.

"I know you won't."

"How?!"

"You would have at least fired by now."

Isabella froze, her gun still aimed at Suzaku's chest, and gritted her teeth.

"Why are you on _thier _side anyway?! You're Japanese for God's sake...so why are you fighting for Britannia?!" Isabella exasperated and lowered her gun to her side, her eyes also dropping from his.

"Why are you fighting for the Black Knights, a terrorist group?"

"Britannia does nothing but take away. This empire has destroyed me...I'm avenging the people that have died because and for me," Isabella said and started to walk away. "You should reconsider who your really fighting for, Suzaku and I encourage you to join Zero's rebellion."

"Zero's gone," Suzaku said and Isabella's jaw dropped. She whipped back around, the icy blue braids flowing around her face as she spun back around and she stared at him in disbelief.

"How do you know?!"

Suzaku half smiled again, but it was kind, an almost compassionate look in his eyes. Isabella's eyes burned and she aimed the gun at him again.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Suzaku leaped out of the way when she fired, intentionally missing, and he swung his leg around, kicking the gun out of her grip. Suzaku grabbed her wrist as she tried to twist out of the way and pinned it against her back, his other arm locked around her waist.

"I was showing mercy, which is out of character for me on the battle field, and you shoot at me?"

"Zero will come back...I know he will!" Isabella declared loyaly and Suzaku's tight fingers around her wrist made her twitch.

"You're under arrest, that's all I can say."

"You're a naive bastard. You really are...you have no idea what kind of country you are fighting for!" Isabella's fist curled behind her as Suzaku began to push her towards the Lancelot.

"I'm trying to get the two sides unite. You don't know what you're talking about."

"If that's what you're trying to do, your methods suck!"

"Kururugi, what are you doing?! Just kill her!"

_There he is again...that general..._

Suzaku froze, his fingers loosening on Isabella's wrist as he stared at the general and a second solider in disbelief.

"Kill her! Now!" the second solider yelled.

"Do it, Suzaku, kill me," Isabella whispered and stared at him out of the corner of her eye. "Kill me, right here."

Suzaku stared back at her, his eyes flickering.

"Oh no...Isa--"

"Kill me, Suzaku-chan."

There was a gun shot and Isabella felt the familiar, burning feeling of the bullet tearing through her skin in her upper arm. Her mouth opened and she gasped in pain, and Suzaku let go of her wrist, freeing her.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU DUMBASS?! KILL HER NOW!" the general yelled and Isabella stumbled forward, holding her bloody arm.

"Suzaku, listen to him or you'll die too," Isabella pleaded so only her friend could hear.

"Isabella..."

"Do it now before he--"

The gun was fired again, this time by the second soldier, and Isabella felt blood spray across her face as she looked back to see Suzaku fall onto his knees, gripping his ribs.

"Suzaku--!"

He looked helplessly up at her and she saw another faint half smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and his eyes became foggy.

"NO! SUZAKU! YOU CAN'T DIE!"

Isabella lunged forward and broke into a sprint, her Geass activating and her molecules spreading apart as she plunged herself into the soldier that had shot her friend.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" she screamed as she forced control over the body and the general only stood and watched his companion struggle against the Black Knights determined force.

Once she had control, Isabella snapped the soldier's eyes back open only to see the general had run off.

"You cowardly scum bag. What general leaves his men out to die?" she snarled and looked back at Suzaku, who was unconscious on the ground. "I'll make _you_ pay for this," she added to the soldier she was possessing.

_What are you doing? _his thoughts echoed and Isabella made him smirk.

"I'm going to kill you."

_No...how? What are you doing to me you demon?! _

"Oh, I'm the demon? I beg to differ. You stole the life of someone very precious to me, so, I'll take your life for the price of his. It'll create balance, you see? A life for a life, although," Isabella forced his hand to yanked the helmet off his head, his neck giving a slight crack and he groaned in pain, "I'll have to kill you in the most painful way possible in order to make up for Suzaku."

_You sick bitch...! _

"However, I'm looking for information and I'll make it quick, painless and clean if you give me exactly what I want," Isabella said smoothly.

_What do you want? _

"Where is Nunnally Lamprouge?"

_I can't tell you that._

Isabella yanked off the armor protecting the soldier's arm and fired a bullet through his hand.

"I've seen people I love die in front of me, Suzaku's not being the first. I will show no mercy to the men that took those innocent people away from me and I will torture you until you give me what I want. I'm a sick person so you better come quietly or this death will be painful," Isabella snarled, her rage overtaking her for the first time in her life. She had never intended to ever torture anyone, but now with the loss of Suzaku, Zero, her parents, Scotty and her brother, had shoved her past the point of showing mercy.

"I will ask you again, where is Nunnally Lamprouge? If you don't tell me this time, I will rip the bullet out with your bare hands."

_I don't know who she is. _

"Liar."

_I swear I can't tell you anything._

"LIAR!" Isabella began to force the fingers into the open wound and the soldier's thoughts screamed in pain.

_ALRIGHT! I don't know exactly where she is but I know she is alive! I swear to you, that's all I know!_

"Is she being treated well?"

_Yes, she is perfectly healthy and she is being treated like royalty. _

"How can you know that and not know where she is?"

_I am only told these things. I have never seen her but people have told me she is one hundred percent okay._

"One last piece of information I need from you."

The solider grimaced as more blood leaked from his hand and Isabella was able to prevent him from nursing it.

"Where is Michael Liberata?"

_What difference does it make to you?_

"He is my brother and I want to know if he is truly dead. I think there's a possibility he is alive but I don't know where he is."

_So you're Isabella?!_

"Yes."

_Isabella Liberata...your brother was the general that shot you._

Isabella felt her heart stop beating and she dropped the gun in the Britannian's hand.

"I-impossible! He can't be--!"

_I can assure you the general is him. I would know, I've been under his orders since war started. _

"Michael is on your side...but why?"

Isabella's time was up and she stepped out of the body, picking up the dropped gun in the process, her body becoming more solid.

"Your brother is a traitor to you then," the solider gruffed and Isabella aimed the weapon at him.

"You must of brainwashed him or something. There is no way my brother would ever fight with you vermin after what you did to our family. I hope he's planning to kill you all," Isabella said and shot the gun, hitting the soldier in the chest. "All of you--" gunshot- "every last one."

The Britannian crippled to the ground, blood pulsing out of his chest and neck. Isabella turned back around to her fallen friend, and then the gun clattered back down to the cement ground when she saw who was holding him, a tourniquet around his wound.

"We need to get him help. He'll live, but the sooner he gets help the better of he'll be. You should've called for help the moment he was injured. He could've died," Zero scolded and Isabella gaped.

"Zero--how did you--?!"

"Later," he cut her short and swiftly departed, Isabella at his heels.

**Two Days Later...**

Suzaku's eyes fluttered open and he was greeted by the strong scent of roses. His eyebrows creased and he peered next to him, almost blinded by the brilliant vase of red roses sitting on the table next to his bed.

"Who left these?" he wondered aloud and grimiced as he sat up, sharp pains shooting through his ribs and back.

"A young lady by the name of Isabella left those for you, Suzaku. Said the room was too gloomy and you needed something pretty to look at when you awoke," Lloyd said as he sudden;y entered the room, startling Suzaku.

"You scared me," Suzaku said and Lloyd smiled, his blue eyes blank but a look of amusement on his face.

"To be honest, if she wanted you to have something pretty to look at, she should have stayed," Lloyd teased and his amused smile widened as Suzaku's face flushed red.

"Don't even start."

"Hey, I'm not the one whose in love with her. It's not like you don't agree. She's a nice girl, from what I saw. She actually was friendly enough to sit down and have tea with me while carrying a friendly conversation. Why don't you date her? I approve," Lloyd continued to ramble and traced his long finger over one of the silk petals of a rose.

"She's not interested in me like that."

"She had you in her arms when she came here, almost as if she knew I was here," Lloyd continued, ignoring the answer to his own question.

"Maybe I was muttering something unconsciously," Suzaku said and laid back down, the stabbing pain in his chest and back calming down.

"Possibly, I can't think of any other way since I have never seen anyone like her walking around here."

"Isabella carried me the whole way here?"

"Yes, bridal style, your head on her shoulder, one of your arms around her neck and it would have been even more adorable if you weren't bleeding so much. Little Isabella was sobbing and pleading me to do something. 'Don't let Suzaku die! Do something, please make him live! I can't lose my Suzaku!' It was heartbreaking really how desperate she was to save you. During your surgery, she wouldn't sit down for a second and practically drowned the doctor with questions when he came out," Lloyd said and continued to finger with the rose petals.

"Wait, she said 'my Suzaku'?"

"Yes, showing possession, as if you belonged to her. I thought that was cute."

Suzaku flushed red again and thought about what Lloyd had just informed him about.

_She's a Black Knight...we're supposed to be enemies...so why didn't she just let me die there? I thought she would feel betrayed and not do anything..._

"I hope Isabella comes back, she is a pleasant girl, despite being a Black Knight."

"You better not give her away!"

"I wasn't planning to. I just ranted about how much I like her. You get some rest now and you'll be back in school tomorrow. I'm sure Isabella misses her Suzaku," Lloyd sang and waves of dispair hung over Suzaku's head.

"You're not funny."

**The Next Day...**

"Suzaku's back," Shirley smiled at Isabella and the masquerading Black Knight turned her head to see her other best friend smile across the room at her.

"Hey Suzaku! Welcome back!" Isabella grinned and waved then Nina tapped her shoulder.

"You and Shirley are going to the mall tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, are you sure you don't want to come, Nina, it'll be fun!" Isabella beamed and Nina shook her head.

"No, that's okay. I have something I want to work on," she said and Isabella sweat dropped.

"Another project that will make my brain twist twenty different times?"

"Probably."

Isabella gave her an uncomfortable smiling, trying to imagine the brain power it took to create one of Nina's mind bending projects.

"Isabella-onee!" Rolo pushed passed several people in the room to get to her desk and she looked over at him.

"Hey Rolo! What's up?"

"I was wondering if you were busy tomorrow. I wanted to see if Lelouch, you and me could all do something," he panted slightly and his eyes glowed with hope.

"Aw, sorry buddy but I'm going to the mall with Shirley tomorrow."

"When you get back?"

"Possibly."

"If we don't stay out all day," Shirley giggled and gave Rolo a friendly rub on the head.

"We have a tendency to do that don't we?" Isabella asked and Shirley's giggles accelerated to a laugh.

Rolo shot the unsuspecting Shirley an envious stare and Isabella flicked his fingers as a warning.

"Alright, well, maybe later this weekend," he redeemed himself and Isabella nodded.

"I'll keep my calender clear," she assured him and the bell rang for class. "You're late little brother, you better go."

"No, it's okay. Lelouch needs a ride because he's playing chess this--"

"YOU BOTH ARE SKIPPING?!"

Rolo's eyes widened in horror and Isabella caught sight of Lelouch scurrying away, hands dug deep in his pockets as he hurried away, Rolo following him.

"LELOUCH LAMPROUGE! YOU CAN'T BE SKIPPING AT A TIME LIKE THIS!" Isabella scolded at the top of her lungs and chased the two boys out of the room, Shirley, Nina and Suzaku all watching them from the door, very amused.

"I hope Lulu can run fast," Shirley said and Suzaku looked up at her (he was crouching on the floor, Nina then Shirley above him).

"Or at least got a good head start. Lelouch isn't one that is particularly good at running for long distances," Suzaku said and Nina clicked her tongue.

"Well, she tackled Rolo...oh never mind he escaped."

"This is better than cable," Shirley remarked and watched as Isabella started to take off after her two friends.

"RUN FOR IT ROLO! SHE'S GONNA KILL US!" Lelouch called, almost afraid for his life. Rolo jumped onto his motor scooter, helmet on both of them and took off. Isabella growled as she watched them roar away, Lelouch waving innocently from the passenger's seat.

"I hope you both fail your classes," she cursed and pushed back her ebony hair, stress marking. "Baka Lelouch."

"Well, you almost had them...Rolo at least," Kallen appeared and Isabella growled.

"I hope they both fail."

"Gambling or classes?"

"Both."

Kallen couldn't help chuckling a little at that.

"You love him though."

"Yes...I do...quit reminding me please," Isabella sighed and Kallen patted her on the shoulder.

"Alright, let's get back to class."

Isabella re-entered the classroom with Kallen beside her and Nina, Shirley and Suzaku all exchanged amused glances from their seats.

"None of you are funny," Isabella glowered and Suzaku shrugged.

"No, but you are," he told her and smiled angelically.

Waves of despair hung over Isabella's head as she sat down and wondered what it really was Lelouch was up to.

**The Following day at the mall...**

"I hope things will go smoothly this time," Isabella remarked as she walked through the crowded mall with Shirley at her side.

"Yeah, but if it doesn't, we'll stay together. Deal?" Shirley said and Isabella smiled.

"Definitely, I'll glue my hand to you if I need to," she laughed and Shirley strode into a music store.

"This should be fun, I love checking out what new releases the music industry has..." Shirley thought aloud and Isabella slipped head phones over her ears when she had entered with her best friend.

_I still can't get Michael out of my mind...why is he fighting for Britannia? Let alone a general...unless he really is on Zero's side and is posing as a general to help take down the empire...that sounds like something he'd do...but that girl he killed...just an act...? He's been trying to kill me...maybe trying to warn me...and save me from other soldiers killing me...? It's possible unless he doesn't recognize me..._

"Isabella."

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright? You look bored," Shirley observed and slid the head phones around her neck.

"No, I'm having fun, I'm just spacing out. I do that when I listen to music," Isabella said and gave the red head a reassuring smile.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and Isabella jumped from the sudden feeling then excused herself from Shirley to answer.

_It's Zero...why am I always out of Ashford having fun when he calls...? Oh well..._

"Hello?"

"Isabella get out of the mall as quickly as possible."

"Why?"

"Just do it and keep Shirley with you. Don't let her out of your sight," Zero ordered and hung up.

Isabella clicked her phone off and blew back her bangs, irritated.

_I hate it when he doesn't tell me what the hell's going on. _

"Hey Shirley, that was Rolo. Do you mind if we go back to the Academy for a bit then come back later? He said it was important," Isabella said the first lie she could think of and Shirley looked disappointed.

"Alright," she sighed and Isabella's expression was apologetic as she and Shirley left the music store.

_I feel safe leaving Shirley with Isabella...I can trust her to keep Shirley safe, _Lelouch thought as he watched his two friends begin to leave.

"What do we do now?" C.C. asked him as she passed, disguised in a black wig that was fixed into a neat bun and a pencil skirt and navy blue blazer.

"We issue the orders," Lelouch said and clicked the button on his chess piece.

The fire alarms sounded and smoke began to pour out of almost every store. Isabella gasped and then grabbed Shirley's hand, yanking her outside.

"A fire?!" Shirley cried and Isabella coughed.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"There's a terrorist threat..." a clerk yelled into his phone and Shirley stopped dead in her tracks.

"Shirley--come on!"

"I repeat there is a terrorist threat! Send in soldiers!"

_Oh crap...and the Britannians know who I really am...if they find me they'll kill Shirley..._

"This way!" Isabella hissed to her friend and pulled her in the opposite direction of the tidal wave of people was going.

_I can't risk her...not Shirley...I can't risk having her killed._

Isabella lead Shirley through the empty, smoke filled halls and it finally clicked with her there was no real fire.

_Zero, you're a genius. _

Out the back exit, Isabella spotted police cruisers and ambulance surrounding the building.

_I need to get back inside to Zero so he can tell me what's going on..._

"Shirley, I need you to stay here. I'll be back. Officer, can you keep her here?"

"Yes I can--hey miss!" the officer called as Isabella tore back off into the building, her cell phone crushed to her ear.

"Isabella! Come back! Isabella!" Shirley cried, two officers restraining the red head back from following her friend.

"Zero, what the hell are you planning now!?" Isabella heard his phone ring endlessly on the other line and anger brimmed inside her. "You want me to do something now friggin answer your phone!"

Isabella snapped it shut and then removed her green contact out of her eye, the red, bird like shape gleaming in her eye.

"Screw it...I'll do my own thing..."

**Back Outside...**

_I can't let Isabella be in there...if there's a terrorist attack, Britannian soldiers will be in there and she could be killed! I hope Lulu finds her before anyone else does! _

Shirley paced around the confined area, waiting impatiently for Isabella do come back out of the smokey building. The three officers that had been keeping a close eye on her were now on their walkie talkies, trying to calm others down and had almost forgotten about the red haired girl pacing around between the cruisers and ambulance truck.

"Lulu...Isabella..." Shirely closed her eyes and tried not to worry, they were both marvolous fighters but even so, she still didn't block out the chance of one of them getting hurt.

She stopped pacing and observed the three officers, all of them had their backs turned to her and she got an idea. Quietly, Shirley crept up to one of the policemen and yanked his gun out. he whipped around and spotted her just as she managed to squeeze between a cruiser and ambulance. Shirley sprinted into the building, the officers yelling after her but she ignored them, only focusing on the protection of the love of her life and her best, truest friend.

**Flash back to Isabella...**

She fell to the ground, her arm bleeding and her body transparent, still fresh from possession. A Britannian kicked her in the leg and she held back a cry of pain before standing back up and aiming her gun at him.

"I've had enough of you damn people!" she snarled and fired only once, short on bullets, then ran for it.

Another solider spotted her and she immediately jumped into his body, easily taking control over his body.

"You've taken more than enough away from this country. You won't take away the ability to be in public without being attacked!"

Isabella made the body run furiously, coming to the other soldier and saw she had shot him only in the bicep. Annoyed, Isabella readied the gun in the borrowed hand and fired, this time the bullets entering the heart and stomach.

"Well done," she told the borrowed body and stepped over the corpse.

"TRAITOR!"

"See you," Isabella giggled and lurched forward just as the body she was just in crumpled to the floor in a blood bath.

She was flying only centimeters off the floor as she guided her molecules to underneath a staircase, a loaded gun still in her hand.

"Brilliant. I think if I keep this up, I might get the whole army down...no I can't think like that...I can't be mindless about who I kill. However...that one man's thoughts were somewhat useful. I know for a fact now Michael is the general and he knows who I am but I still need to figure out why he's not reverting over to Zero's side..."

Isabella's phone vibrated again and she checked the ID to see it was Shirley.

"Hey, are you still with the officers? I'll come get you now," Isabella said.

"No, I need to find you--"

"SHIRLEY! YOU IDIOT! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY WITH THE OFFICERS! YOU COULD GET KILLED!"

"So could you! Please let me help you and Lulu. I--Rolo...?"

Shirley lowered her phone off her ear and on the other end, Isabella ran as fast as she could through the deserted halls.

"Shirley, what are you doing here?" Rolo asked and Shirley swallowed hard, her gun clutched in her slender hand.

"I'm helping Lulu and Isabella."

Rolo only stared at her and wrapped his finger over the trigger.

"Rolo, please let me through. I just want to help Isabella and Lulu fight and be reunited with Nunnally!"

Rolo's eyes glared at her, his face twisting in anger and he pointed the gun at Shirley.

"Rolo please don't!"

"Shirley what is going on?!" Isabella shouted into her phone so loudly, Rolo heard her.

"Isabella-onee?"

"Don't hurt Shirley, Rolo! She's one of us, let her go!"

"But Isabella-onee, she'll interfere with you and Lelouch."

"Don't shoot! I mean it, if you shoot her I'll never forgive you for as long as I live! She's my best friend, let her go!"

There was a long silence and Rolo stared at Shirley's pink phone and she held her breath. Rolo lowered his gun and kept his eyes glued on Shirley, who sighed with relief, and then removed his finger off the trigger.

"As long as Isabella-onee says you're on her side and you are good friends, then I'll let you go," Rolo said but Isabella didn't hear him, for she was still sprinting through the building, her phone no longer to her ear.

"Thank you Rolo. I'll be a help to them both and don't worry when we find Nunnally, Isabella will still want to have you around. You're like her little brother," Shirley smiled and Rolo felt one spreading across his face as well.

"HEY! YOU THERE!"

Rolo and Shirley jumped and saw a Britannian soldier pointing his gun at Shirley.

"Rolo...Rolo!? What's going on!?" Isabella shrieked through the phone.

"Calling to rat us out, you damn Eleven."

"N-no!" Shirley stammered and Rolo dashed in front of her, his arms outspread.

"Don't, she's one of us!" he pleaded but the soldier cracked his gun over the little boy's head.

Rolo fell to the ground, the gun spinning out of his hand and Shirley tried to go to his side.

"ROLO!" Isabella cried and the soldier slapped Shirley's hand, sending the phone clattering to the ground.

"Filthy Eleven," he snarled and shot his gun. Shirley shrieked as he turned back around and took Rolo away.

**Flash to Isabella...**

"Shirley? SHIRLEY! ROLO!" Isabella screamed when she heard the gun shot and phone clatter to the floor.

_Not Shirley...not Shirley...not her...oh God...let her be okay...please, not innocent Shirley...she never did anything wrong...Shirley, my best friend, please let her be okay. I love her so much, she's like my sister...don't take her away from me too! She was my first friend at the Academy...she's nothing but kind to me and everyone else, please not her...not Shirley...she's been through so much already...getting her memories erased and having to deal with my love for Lelouch...she's lost too much...don't take her life..._

Isabella felt tears brimming in her eyes as she flashed back to the first time she had met Shirley, the bright smile and "Hello! I'm Shirley!"...the warm feeling of friendship that Isabella could only feel around the red haired girl...the sister-like bond between them...the lotus and rose necklaces they had bought with Nina...the pink lotus flower never left Shirley's neck since they had bought it...

_Shirley...Shirley...Shirley...please be alright, don't die...don't die! _

Isabella came to a staircase and she sprinted up it three stairs at a time, tears already flowing down her face. She came to the top stair and reached the landing, spinning around and almost suffocated from the smoke.

"Shirley?!" she called and saw a figure laying on the floor, a crimson pool around her. "Oh God...SHIRLEY!"

Isabella dashed to her side and saw that Lelouch had beaten her to the dying girl, his own face soaked in tears. His Geass was glowing and there was a red circle around the outside of Shirley's fading green eyes, as if he were ordering her to not die.

"Shirley...!" Isabella gasped and Shirley turned her distancing gaze to her.

"Isabella--whatever you do--don't blame--Rolo for this--"

"Did he shoot you?! Who did this to you Shirley?!"

"It's not Rolo's fault--I shouldn't have run off--it's going to be okay--don't cry anymore--I'll always be with you--Isabella--"

"Don't talk like that Shirley! Don't die! Please don't die! You can't--!" Isabella's tears rained off her face and she lifted one of Shirley's hands to her face.

"You know, you--make me so--happy--you both do--I love you both so much--" Shirley felt her heart jolt painfully as she looked from Isabella to Lelouch, a faint smile on her face.

"Shirley--" Lelouch gasped and Isabella tightened her grip on her best friend's hand.

"I love you too, Shirley, you're like my sister. I've never had a friend like you...you're always there for me, no matter what...thank you for that...that feeling of acceptance you gave me..." Isabella said through her tears.

"You're like a sister, Isabella...Lulu...I hope maybe one day...you two can be...together..." Shirley's eyes began to close and Isabella felt her heart shatter.

"SHIRLEY! YOU CAN'T DIE! DON'T DIE! NOT YOU! NOT YOU TOO! SHIRLEY!" Isabella cried and Shirley felt her hand become drenched with her best friend's tears.

"I want you to protect him...Isabella...Lulu...please...will you...?"

Isabella gritted her teeth to keep from crying out and nodded.

"I swear!"

Shirley gave her another smile and her heart jolted excruciatingly as more blood from her chest wound flowed out onto the floor, staining Isabella's jeans.

"You both make me so happy--I love you both so much--no matter what happens--or however many times we're all reborn--we'll all still be bonded by that immortal friendship--won't we? No matter what--" her eyes closed and Isabella inhaled sharply.

"N-NO! SHIRLEY!"

"No--matter..." Shirley's hand dropped from Isabella's and her heart stopped.

"Shirley!" Lelouch gasped and touched her shoulders, giving them a small shake.

"Shirley! Not you! Not you too!" Isabella cried and sobbed uncontrollably. Her teeth gritted and she let out a yell that echoed through the mall, Shirley's now lifeless hand again gripped tightly in Isabella's hand.

_Why did it have to end like this...why Shirley?! WHY?! _

**I'm sorry Shirley. ;.; I feel like MY best friend died...Isabella's gonna go crazy...-sobsobsob- Please don't judge her too harshly, I think I made her kind of a mindless killer in this chapter...she gets it from me though...if I had watched my parents and two best friends die, PLUS be robbed of 7 years of life that were full of abuse and think the one I loved was dead...I'd go crazy...sorry...ranting again. Well, I hoped you liked it! I finished before I got 2 reviews and I want to get this fanfiction done by Valentines Day. ^-^ it is almost done come to think of it...XD Don't get me wrong, I love Shirley and I cried like a baby when she died in the anime. :'( Reviews would be awesome! :D**


	11. I Can't Tell You

**'Ello again loves! Chapter Eleven (haha) has arrived!! :D Thank yous go to the lovley brunettebookworm14 and cecaniah for reviewing and favoriting! I appreciate it so much!! :D Love my next chapter now. -Geass activates- LELOUCH ORDERS YOU TO! Okay...weird moment over...I'm okay now...hey, it's 1:00 in the morning. I'm really random and wierd when I'm sleepy. . Lol. I give you Chapter Eleven...**

"May she rest in peace," the priest concluded and Isabella could only watch as her fellow students began to place dirt over Shirley's casket.

"No, don't bury her! She can't be--" Isabella felt herself start forward but Rivalz and Milly held her back.

"Isabella, calm yourself," Milly whispered comfortingly and Isabella felt weak.

"She can't--she can't--she can't--!"

Isabella began to cry quietly again as she forced herself to watch Shirley's casket be consumed with dirt. Suzaku stepped forward and laid white lillies over the grave and then walked back over to her. She couldn't talk...she could barely see through the wall of tears in her eyes as the students began to depart and go back to their usual lives, casting Isabella sympathetic looks.

_Stop looking at me like that...none of you knew Shirley...why are you acting like you really care because you don't!_

Suzaku smoothed back a strand of her black hair behind her ear and Rivalz and Milly let go of her.

"Isabella," was all Suzaku could say and pulled her into his arms, Milly's hand on her back and Rivalz's hand on her head.

"Where's Lelouch...? He left so early..." Isabella asked, trying to calm herself but it didn't work. Suzaku tightened his arms around her, his head resting on hers and her hair touching his lips.

"I can't be sure," Suzaku replied and Isabella felt the barrier that held back her crying break. She sobbed so hard she shook, feeling as if she was in the middle of a nightmare, feeling alone and exposed. Shirley had always been the one that gave her a sense of always being protected and Isabella felt as if her world had ended. Her best friend was dead...the one that she had vowed to protect...the one that next to Lelouch, was the kindest to her and always made her feel happy...she was gone now...taken by the Britannians...just like so many others.

"Come on Isabella, let's get you back to your dorm," Milly said and Isabella reluctanty pulled away from Suzaku's comforting embrace.

Isabella walked back to her dorm, Milly beside her and opened the door to the dorm to see Nina packing a suitcase.

"Hey, Nina girl, where are you going?" Isabella asked, and Milly looked just as confused.

"I got a call a while ago from a man named Lloyd, he's a friend of Suzaku's and a genius scientist. He came up with the Lancelot and he wanted me to join his department," Nina was beaming and Isabella's stomach lurched.

"That's great Nina..." Milly said and Isabella nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you'll be great there," she said, a sad smile spreading across her face.

"Isabella, I don't want to seem like I'm being insensitive or leaving you alone--"

"It's okay Nina, I understand. This is your dream, isn't it?" Isabella asked.

"Yeah, you've been working for this like there's no tomorrow," Milly chimed in but Nina kept her eyes on Isabella.

"I'll still see you Isabella, just not as often--I mean--I don't want you to be lonely because of--"

"Nina, it's okay. I'll be fine," Isabella assured her and Milly took the silent hint from Nina to leave.

"Isabella, there's something I wanted to finish telling you too," the genius said and Isabella's head tilted, listening intently. "Remember when I started telling you that some girls are really shallow and fake?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I wanted to tell you that, I hate women that have no backbone and no depth. A lot of the girls here are like that, shallow, fake, cowardly but when I see you...you're one of the few that have the strength most of us lack. You have been through more than anyone could imagine...loss of friends and parents...being a slave to people you hate more than anything on the planet...when I found out you went through all that and then noticed you don't dwell on it...I was amazed. To the point, I wish more girls were like you...had that spirit of never giving up and always pursuing your dreams," Nina said and rubbed the back of her neck. "Not to mention, you inspired me to take the call from Lloyd. I really admire you, Isabella."

Isabella felt her heart pound against her ribs as Nina embraced her. The black braids thumped against Isabella's face briefly and Isabella returned the friendly hug, almost wishing Nina wouldn't leave too.

"Go knock 'em dead, Nina girl," Isabella chocked out, and Nina let go. She picked up her two, full suitcases and gave Isabella a thankful smile.

"Thank you, for everything Isabella. I'll see you again, alright?"

"Right, I'll manage here. And thank you for being here for me, Nina," Isabella said and Nina bowed as best she could.

She left, leaving Isabella feeling very alone and the Black Knight closed the door once she heard Nina's footsteps die down the hallway.

"Go impress the world...Nina..." Isabella tried to hold back tears as she sank down to the floor, kneeling against the door.

Isabella felt sobs tearing in her chest and she let them erupt out of her, tears immediatly drenching her shirt sleeves. The memories of her, Shirley and Nina flooded through her mind and she longed for the red head to burst through the door, proclaiming she wasn't really dead, it was all just a nightmare. Isabella just wanted to curl up on the floor and convince herself it was all a nightmare and she was going to wake up safe in her dorm, Shirley sleeping peacefully in the bed next to Isabella's.

"Why Shirley...why innocent Shirley...?! Why her?!" Isabella sobbed quietly, her tears burning her face.

She didn't know how long she was crying, but the next thing she knew, Isabella was jerked awake by the door bumping into her stomach, startling her.

"Shirley?!"

"Isabella-onee," Rolo peeked through the crack in the door and Isabella stood shakily to her feet.

"Sorry Rolo, I guess I fell asleep...next to the door of all places," she said and let her little brother into the dorm.

"I wanted to check on you," Rolo said and Isabella sat on her bed, her black jeans creasing as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

There was a long silence and then Rolo walked up in front of her and bent down slightly to meet Isabella's aching eyes.

"I'm sorry, Isabella-onee."

"It's not your fault. You couldn't prevent it," Isabella told him softly and Rolo bit his lip.

"I tried to prevent it...if that makes you feel better. I don't want to seem like I'm trying to promote myself as a hero but--"

"Rolo," Isabella cut him off and his violet eyes looked hurt, "come here, Rolo."

Isabella stretched her arms out and Rolo crawled onto her bed to snuggle up with her. His head nestled against her chest, and Isabella patted him.

"If you were trying to prevent Shirley's death, that puts you there with her. I know I was on the phone with you...her technically...but I'm so glad you didn't get killed as well," Isabella said gratefully and hugged him.

"What if I died in Shirley's place? Would you have been happier?"

"No! Don't you dare think that way!" Isabella exclaimed and Rolo felt his spirits rise. "I love you Rolo, you're my little brother."

Rolo felt his heart swell and he hugged Isabella back.

_She said she loves me...I guess this is what it's like to have a family...this safe, accepting feeling...and I thought Isabella would never be able to bring herself to like me...let alone say she loves me and I'm her brother. _

**Later that Night...**

_Ruled out as a suicide..._Isabella pushed herself through the sheets of ice cold rain as she ran through the woods on the edge of campus..._suicide...Shirley is being dishonored with something such as suicide...that's an insult to her memory! _

"ISABELLA!" Milly's voice echoed off the trees and Isabella looked back.

_I'm not going back yet..._

"ISABELLA!" Rivalz called but Isabella continued on.

_No...I won't return to the lies...I won't return to the lies! _

"Isabella," a soft voice whispered into her ear and Isabella stumbled over a fallen log.

_I won't go back to the lies! _

"Sweetheart, stop running."

_Mom...don't make me go back! _

"Listen to me, Isabella."

_Those Britannians took everything...you...dad...Shirley...Michael...I can't do this!_

"Isabella, think of Lelouch. He's looking for you right now. What about all your other friends? Sweetheart, listen to me. Please go back to Ashford where you're safe."

_Shirley isn't there...I can't go back to that empty dorm...I'm so scared..._

"It'll be okay, Isabella. Father and I are watching over you. Shirley is too and she doesn't want you to be upset over her. She wants you to go back to Lelouch where you're safe."

Isabella tripped and fell to the muddy ground, her knee scraping and bleeding a little.

_I'm scared...I'm scared I won't be able to protect Lelouch or find Nunnally...I'm scared..._

"Don't give up."

Her mother's voice was becoming distant and Isabella felt her tears soak her face and she hugged herself, the rain drenching her.

_Mom...don't leave...don't leave me!_

"Your father and I are so proud of you. We love you so much, Isabella. It'll be okay, we're always with you. Shirley is too. Don't give up hope, Isabella. Always know there is hope. Don't give up...don't...give up..."

_Wait...Mom...stop...Mom! Don't leave me! Don't go! Don't go! Don't leave me alone!_

"I love you, my angel..."

_Mom! _

There was an explosion and Isabella shot up in her bed, panting heavily, drenched in cold sweat.

_Just another dream...it was just a dream..._

Isabella covered her face with her hands and took deep breaths. She opened her eyes only to see an empty dorm except for her own belongings and a desk with Nina's old computer. It had just passed midnight and Isabella pushed back her bangs with her sweaty palms, tears still shining down her face. She hated being alone in the dorm now...it seemed too big with just her. Shirley's ghost seemed to still cling there and Isabella shuddered, suddenly freezing cold and turned her light on.

"I need you back, Shirley," Isabella prayed and thought she felt someone's cool, invisible hand press onto hers.

Isabella didn't feel tired at all as she walked back over to the computer and switched it on. Nina's former desktop of a periodic table glared back at Isabella and she went onto the Interenet to change the background. Isabella searched through files and kept all of Nina's old findings, then stopped at one labeled "Friends". She clicked on it and the first picture that came up was one where it was Nina, Shirley and Isabella all outside in jeans and cute tanks tops, Isabella between her two friends, leaning against Shirley, whose smile was so wide her mouth was open and Nina had her arm around Isabella's shoulders, smiling at her.

"That was taken just last week...it feels like an eternity ago we were all together smiling like this."

Isabella set the picture as the background and then made sure all the rest of the files were saved. Isabella felt her eye lids begin to get heavy again and she logged off then switched the light back off. The room seemed unnaturally dark and ominious without her friends but Isabella tried to brush off the lonely feelings creeping back into her stomach and heart. She crawled back into bed and lied down, the faint pitter patter of the rain against her window pane lulling her back to sleep.

**Two Weeks Later...**

"What I want to know is how you managed to get back, Zero," Isabella sighed as she sat down next to her hero on the dark green couch, "you disappear out of the blue then appear out of the blue. What gives?"

"Are you not happy I returned?"

"N-no! That's not what I meant!"

"Then be quiet," Tamaki snapped and Zero turned his masked face to him.

"Do you want to be kicked off this ship?"

Tamaki stared at the terrorist leader and Isabella could feel him smirk.

"I thought so."

"Zero, there's something else Isabella found out before you came back," C.C. promted and Isabella remembered how she planned on telling him about her brother.

"What is it?" Zero asked and Tamaki smirked.

"She's madly in love with you," he said under his breath and Kallen slapped the back of his head so hard the noise bounced off the walls.

"Shut up you immature idiot!" she snapped and Zero rested his two elbows on the back of the couch before sighing.

"He's a moron. Pay no attention to him," Zero said and Isabella swallowed back a laugh.

"Anyway," C.C. glared at Tamaki, irritated and then turned her gold eyes to Isabella, "you were saying, Isabella?"

"Yeah, Michael's alive," Isabella told everyone in the room and Kallen's jaw dropped.

"Seriously?! How did you find out?!" she asked and Isabella smiled a little.

"When I possessed the solider that shot Suzaku, I managed to get the information from him," Isabella informed and Kallen looked impressed on every level possible.

"Wow..."

"Yeah. I'm so happy he's alive because if I see him and figure out what he's planning to do, then maybe we'll be able to live together again. We could get a house by the ocean like he was always saying he wanted to do and I could go to a near by school--I'd still be fighting of course but Michael would be here too. I can't wait to see him again and tell him everything! He'd be so excited to meet you Zero and--"

"Your brother is on Britannia's side. He's a traitor," he declared and stood abruptly.

"What--Zero--?"

"Don't get your hopes up about moving out of the Academy and moving in with _him _because it won't happen," Zero snapped and then disappeared into another room.

Isabella realized she was on her feet and staring after Zero, totally lost.

"What's with him?"

Kallen was just as confused as Isabella was and C.C. departed into the next room with Zero.

"He's attatched to you," Tamaki told her slowly and softly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Isabella asked, not knowing what he had meant by that statment.

"What I mean is he likes you. He doesn't want you to leave."

"I wouldn't, I'd still be fighting and I would see him...possibly..."

"Exactly, and don't think talking on the phone is the same thing as seeing him," Tamaki snapped and Kallen's blue eyes narrowed.

"What do you know about love?" she demanded and Tamaki shrugged.

"Not much, but enough to know Zero's got it bad for Isabella," he said and Isabella felt her face grow hotter than the sun.

"Maybe I should go talk to him..." she said and Kallen sat down.

"Yeah, if he likes you then go comfort him," she urged and Isabella turned to her.

"Hey Kallen, do you have a roommate?"

"No, why?"

"My other room mate moved out, got a really neat job and I hate being in my dorm alone at night. It creeps me out."

"Alright, I'll move in."

Tamaki hung his head.

"Only a girl can make a mood go from really serious to totally random."

**Outside the ship...**

"You know, you almost blew it," C.C. scolded monotonically and Lelouch held his head in his hands.

"I couldn't help it...she loves her brother so much and is thrilled he's alive but doesn't know he's actually trying to kill her. It's no mask he's wearing. Michael is trying to kill her."

C.C. walked over to him and kneeled down before him, her hands on his head.

"It's going to be fine. Isabella is a strong girl and I'm sure she is somewhat expecting the reality," the immortal consoled and Lelouch sighed.

"I'm trying to shield her from what I can...I made that promise to her mother before she died and said I would protect Isabella, but I honestly think I've put her in more danger than anyone else on the planet."

"Lelouch, Isabella is in danger anyway, in the war or not. No matter what, the fact her brother is plotting something won't change. To be honest, Isabella is safer in the war next to you so you can keep an eye on her. It seems like a paradox at first but when you think about it, she is safer when she's around you."

"Seeing her get shot isn't very reassuring."

"Even so, if she were alone right now and not apart of the war, she could be hurting herself because of all that has happened to her. Had she watched her best friend die without knowinbg what was going on, that grief could have driven her to suicide," C.C. pointed out and Lelouch shuddered.

"If she ever did such a thing, I don't know what I'd do."

There was a pause between them and C.C. stood up.

"I'm going to give you a few minutes alone and make sure the other three didn't tear up the ship," she said and started to walk away.

"C.C.," Lelouch called and the witch turned. Lelouch paused and then smiled, "thank you."

C.C. looked surprised then returned the smile and departed. Lelouch pushed his cape off and took off his shirt, taking a white towel in his hands and setting it over his face before sitting back down. The cool night air felt like Heaven against his heated skin and he thought of Shirley, wondering what she was doing in the after life.

_"I hope you two will fall in love..." _

"Well, Shirley, if you really meant that, you have half of your wish. I've been in love with Isabella. I'm not one hundred percent positive if she's returning the affections though; she seems pretty affectionate towards Suzaku..."

Lelouch felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of Isabella and Suzaku together but he forced himself to partcially accept it anyway.

"If she does love him, then I won't interfear."

"Zero?"

_Speak of the Devil..._

"What is it Isabella?" Lelouch asked, his voice muffled from the towel.

Isabella felt her body go numb as she stared at him, his face hidden by the white towel, but he was shirtless. His abs were young looking and toned, and the rest of his body, by the looks of it, he looked as old if not a year or two younger than she was.

_He just seems so human now...I guess I forget whenever I'm around him..._

"I just wanted to check on you, I guess," Isabella said and started back to the ship but Zero called her back.

"Isabella, come here," he said and Isabella walked back.

"Yes?"

"Why are you fighting in the war?" Zero asked and stood up, his bare back to her but the towel off his face.

Isabella stared at his moon soaked back and then pondered her answer.

"You'll think it's girlish."

"No, I won't, I promise you."

Isabella hesitated and then took a deep breath, hoping she wouldn't sound stupid.

"I'm in love," she started, already scolding herself but it was the best she could do. "I'm fighting for the one I love."

"Who is he?"

"You're getting very personal. Besides, you probably don't know him."

Zero didn't say anything but his head was turned as a gesture that he was listening still. Isabella bit her lip before saying anything else and then gave in.

"Lelouch Lamperouge," she said finally and Lelouch's heart almost stopped, "I know it sounds so girlish and maybe immature, but I know he's the reason I'm fighting. Any time I'm in battle, the only person I think of is him. We've been friends since we were born and I can't exactly pin point when I fell in love with him. I just woke up one day and I was, or at least I realized it. He's the reason I live in the first place...when I was taken captive all those years ago, the memories I had with him were the very possessions I had that kept me going. Sure, I thought of suicide but that was because I thought he was dead too but there was a possibility I held onto that he was alive and we would see each other again. I can't put into words how much he means to me, but, I love him more than anyone else on this planet. He's the reason I live."

Lelouch curled his hands into a fist and his eyes brimmed tears.

_She's fighting for me..._I'm _her reason for living...me..._

"I'm sorry if this seems so lovey dovey and sappy, but you asked. I rid myself of any responsibility if you're sick later," Isabella said to him after a long silence and Lelouch shook his head, which was hidden by shadows.

"No, it's not that. I haven't heard someone say something like that about m--anyone. Kallen is fighitng for her brother and the others for the sake of Japan...but you're different..."

"How so?" Isabella asked, still several feet away from him.

"You're driven by love and passion rather than rage and the want for revenge."

"Zero, not to sound rude, but that isn't true."

"But what's the reason you hate Britannia? Are you fighting because you want them to pay for the pain they caused_ you_ or_ m_--er--_Lelouch_?"

_Crap...I really can't tell her...but why?!_

"I see what you mean, Zero. I'm also fighting for everyone else I've lost in my life because of this war...my best friend Shirley for an example...my parents...and my other friend Scotty...but even so, Lelouch is my sole reason for living now. If something ever happens to him I--" Isabella stopped herself and remembered Tamaki's words about Zero's liking her.

_Oh great...I probably earned myself a good ass kicking if I broke Zero's heart...oh boy..._

"Zero, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

Isabella swallowed to wet her dry throat and then continued.

"Are you...do you like me? Tamaki said--"

"What makes you listen to Tamaki all of the sudden?"

"Well...what he said was serious and--"

"He was right."

Isabella stepped backwards, her black hair swaying and her eyes shocked.

"And I spilled my guts out about...I'm sorry...I wasn't thinking. Forgive me, Zero, for being so thoughtless." Isabella bowed, feeling ashamed and embarrassed about her carelessness.

"Wait, Isabella--!" Lelouch turned but she was jogging back to the Knightmare and he was left alone in the shadows.

**Next chapter won't be so slow...XD I'll update soon! 2 reviews please! :D **


	12. As She Falls to Pieces

**Alright, this was a fun chapter to write. Note, Isabella swears A LOT here...much stress for her...XD Anyway, no rants but thank yous go to: Satanica-Demon of Pride and Invader Designia!! :D Enjoy Chapter Twelve!! ^-^**

"Damn it, I'm losing control! Isabella, stop the Lancelot!" Kallen cried as her Knightmare skidded across the cement road, sending rocks flying in every direction.

"My personal favorite," Isabella muttered sarcastically and forced her Knightmare up into the air, following the Lancelot. "Damn you, Suzaku! When did you become such a douche?!"

Suzaku steered the Lancelot sharply to the left and aimed his MVS at Isabella's Knightmare.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," he said, oblivious to her cursing him.

Suzaku took aim and fired, Isabella's green eyes widening in shock and fear as the two blades sped for her. She turned her Knightmare sharply, reaching it's huge, mechanical hand out and grabbed the cords of the swords as she dodged both of them.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Suzaku struggled as he tried to free himself but Isabella's willpower and the Knightmare's strength had overpowered him.

The Lancelot jerked forward and Isabella shot her own Knightmare's fingers out at the Lancelot but missed just barely. Suzaku continued to twist his Lancelot in the air and one hard yank ripped the cords from the iron fist.

"Damn you, Suzaku!" Isabella cursed as she made the Knightmare tear back down the deserted road, shooting bullets back up at the Lancelot to throw off Suzaku.

"Zero! It is I!" a familiar voice boomed through the air and Isabella clenched her teeth together.

"We don't have time for this Orange Boy!" she snarled and pressed her ear piece harder against her ear. "Kallen, you have to help Zero! I gotta find as many Britannian soldiers to possess as I can and gather information about Nunnally!"

"Right, I'm in control now--DAMN WHOEVER IS IN THE LANCELOT!"

"Suzaku, you are really pissing me off! You fucking stubborn ass, we're doing this for a reason now get out of the way!" Isabella yelled and shot the Knightmare's penetrating fingers back out at the white machine and fired the guns. Suzaku was caught off guard and Kallen plunged the blade into it, disengaging it. "Let him go Kallen! Don't kill the pilot!"

"The temptation is so overwhelming..." Kallen grumbled but a cat like growl from Isabella made her retreat. "Traitor," she spat at Suzaku and then left him, stranded.

Isabella sped away and to her pleasure, there were hundreds of Britannian soldiers scattering through the area near her Knightmare.

"Fun toys...such fun Isabella is going to have," she sang to herself and fired several thousand bullets down at the soldiers. "I'm getting to be one sick person..." she scolded herself and ceased firing then stopped.

In a flash, Isabella was transparent and flying through the air, possessing the first soldier she saw.

"Where is Nunnally Lamperouge?" Isabella demanded, the soliders lips moving as she spoke.

_I don't know..._

"Yes you do, I can see into your thoughts! Where is she!?"

_I swear I don't know who or where she is!_

Isabella growled extremely hacked off and aimed the gun the soldier was holding at his neck.

_What are you doing?! STOP! _

Isabella made him fire and was out of his body just as the bullet entered his pulse, blood splattering everywhere. She jumped into another body, now so strong her victims didn't have time to struggle.

"Tell me where Nunnally Lamperouge is," she ordered and the soldier paused, "tell me now!"

_I only know of a Nunnally vi Britannia. _

"What?! Nunnally is a princess?!"

_Nunnally vi Britannia, viceroy--_

Isabella forced herself out of the body and it shot itself, as Isabella had intended. She remained motionless, her mouth hanging half way open and then started to sprint back to her Knightmare.

"Zero, I know where Nunnally is now!" Isabella cried into her ear piece and then spied his Knightmare in the air, fighting Jeremiah's. "Stupid Orange Boy..."

"Isabella?!" someone called her but it wasn't any of the people she was fighting with.

"What?" Isabella turned around and saw straight, shining blond hair.

"Isabella! Help me!"

"Ami!" Isabella cried and turned on her heels, sprinting in the opposite direction.

"Isabella!" Ami cried as she fought her way through soldiers.

_It's amazing how none of these guys notice me...then again I am transparent at the moment._

Isabella weaved passed the Britannians, found Ami and then seized her wrist.

"Come on, we aren't safe here!" Isabella pointed out the obvious and pulled Ami through the ruined area.

"Isabella where the hell are you going?!" Tamaki demanded as Isabella avoided several bullets.

"Send Zero down here! I need to get someone to saftey!"

"Screw that! Save yourself! Zero would say the same thing! I know he would!"

"Damn it Tamaki! Do what I asked you to do or I'll bitch at you for the rest of your life!"

"You do that anyway," Tamaki grumbled and connected to Zero. "Zero, send your ship down! Isabella needs you!"

"C.C., go down! Forget Orange Boy for a moment!"

"Really, you should try driving for once! You change your order every eleven seconds!" C.C. dipped the Knightmare down and disappeared beneath the clouds.

On the ground, Isabella pulled Ami to a bald spot in the ruins and her Geass glowed.

"Hold still for a moment," she ordered and before Ami could open her mouth, Isabella jumped inside and took immediate control of her body. "Don't panic, I won't hurt you. Just cooperate with me."

_Alright, don't get shot._

"Actually, now I'm being twice as careful because you're the one that would get hurt."

_How can you be sure?_

"I've done this several times. Let's leave it at that."

Isabella made Ami run and searched the storm threatening sky for Zero's ship. She couldn't contact him now, but possessing Ami was the easiest way to get her to safety. The Britannians would pay no attention to her if they were both lucky. Zero's Knightmare was visible, speeding towards her and Isabella waved Ami's arms furiously. She heard the whistle of a bullet speed past her ear and in a moment, Isabella was out of Ami's body, plunging into the Britannians.

"Isabella!" Ami gasped as she watched the soldier's resisting hand point up at his exposed neck. "ISABELLA STOP!"

Blood splashed and Isabella sprang forth, perfectly fine, but transparent. Zero's ship was closer, a huge landing reaching out and Isabella jumped onto the outstretched platform, latching onto Ami's arm as well, yanking the blond off her feet. Several soldiers fired their bullets as Ami gripped Isabella's hand for dear life, still dangling over the edge. She yelped in pain as one of the fired bullets struck her hip and Isabella struggled to stand up, rain beginning to soak her still keeping her fingers tight over Ami's wrist.

"I won't let you--die--! Hang on Ami...I'll make it okay!"

The mechanical landing raised and Isabella stepped back into the open door, Ami stepping up over the edge of the hand, crimson staining her white jeans. Isabella was safe over the threshold and Ami began to follow until the hand dropped down and she dropped.

"NO!" Isabella grabbed her hand again and was yanked off her feet then someone caught her hand.

She felt as if she was going to be ripped in half but she still held on. Isabella looked up through her tears and rain drenching her face to see Zero clinging desperately onto her hand, Kallen coming back beside him, her arms around his waist to help him pull the two women back.

"Ami...it'll be okay...I promise you..." Isabella gasped, her ebony hair waving savagly in the wind and turned her eyes back down to her friend.

"They won't be able to get us both back...even if they do...I don't have anywhere to go..." Ami's smile was kind and tears leaked from her eyes as well.

"You--can stay with me!" Isabella gasped and forced herself to raise Ami up more.

"I'm not a child Isabella, I can't stay at Ashford--"

"You can be a teacher! Yes you can, you can teach! You taught me! Please don't let go Ami! Don't give up!" Isabella cried.

"Tamaki, help us!" Kallen cried and he came running, also grabbing Isabella's rain soaked hand.

"I'm sorry Isabella...but that won't happen...they won't hire me..." Ami said and then swallowed back sobs, "I've tried to get a job there."

"Try again! Don't let go Ami! I can't lose you too, I promised you freedom! What would I be doing if I didn't get you to safety!?"

"You did free me Isabella," Ami said to her and smiled again, "you gave me the best seven years of my life after my family was killed. You let me be myself and you were like my little sister. I love you so much Isabella, you don't have to do anything else for me."

Ami's fingers began to slip and Isabella screamed.

"NO AMI! DON'T LET GO! DON'T LET GO, KEEP HOLDING ON! DON'T DIE!"

"I'm sorry Isabella," Ami said and looked up at the three people struggling to save their lives. "I have to, or you'll die too."

"AMI!"

Her fingers let go of Isabella's wrist and the teen fought to keep a good hold.

"Thank you, Isabella, for everything you gave to me," Ami whispered to her and the memories flashed through her mind. "Thank you..."

Ami's hand slipped and Isabella reached for her.

"NO! AMI!"

The blond hair whipped around wildly as she fell, the faint smile still visible on her face.

"_AMI_!"

Ami had disappeared beneath the clouds, and Isabella was pulled up by Zero, Tamaki and Kallen to the safety of the Knightmare. Isabella stayed on her knees, soaked in rain water and gasping for breath as Zero and Tamaki slammed the door shut.

"Isabella, I'm so sorry," Kallen whispered to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Shirley and Ami are gone...within three weeks of each other..." Isabella sobbed and clung onto her friend, "how many more innocent people...?"

Tamaki knelt down beside her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"A lot more than any of us want," he told her honestly and Isabella gripped Kallen's shirt sleeve.

_This isn't fair...all of the innocent people that were nothing but kind to me are the ones suffering...their lives are the price for my actions...I hope I burn in Hell for all the pain I've caused these people...Mom...Dad...Shirley...Ami...Scotty...I deserve to be cast into Hell..._

Isabella pulled away from Kallen's embrace and then stood up, not saying a word. She walked away from them and found the small bathroom, turning on the shower.

_Why Ami...? What did she ever do wrong? Why all the innocent, kind people?_

Isabella half heartily welcomed the steaming water onto her freezing body, making goosebumps rise on her pale skin. She leaned against the wall in front of her, her black hair clinging to the sides of her face, back and arms. Steam filled the room, keeping it warm and Isabella stood under the hot water, watching the ribbons of water flow down her naked body. Tears still dripped from her green eyes, which no longer shone with the happy life they used to have. Ever since Scotty had died, the light in them had dimmed and almost gone out when Shirley was murdered.

Shutting off the warm water after a few minutes, Isabella pushed her wet bangs aside, making them cling to her forehead. She wrapped a fluffy, white towel off the rack and wrapped it around her body, using another to wring out her hair. Turning her half dead gaze to the weaved basket, Isabella saw her under clothes, a pair of jeans and one of Lelouch's shirts (she had a tendency to wear his clothes at times) sitting in the basket. Isabella adjusted her bra over her chest and pulled the cozy, navy blue t-shirt over her then buttoned the jeans up. She didn't bother too much with her hair, she had other things on her mind, so she guided a comb through it and pulled it back with a black scrunchy.

"Isabella? Are you alright?" Zero's voice came outside the door and Isabella opened it.

"No," she answered and walked passed him, going over to the couch across the room.

"Isabella, I'm so sorry," Zero continued and Isabella fell onto the L shaped couch, her black hair spilling over the edge.

"No need to apologize. It couldn't be prevented. I'm done crying...I've done too much of it."

"You've watched five people die, Isabella, three friends and your parents. I'm surprised you still have enough strength to get out of bed," Zero told her and she still didn't look at him.

"What about you Zero? How many deaths have you seen? I'm sure my number is nothing compared to yours," Isabella said and tucked her hands under her head. "By the way, about Nunnally, she's safe. I thank God she's alright."

"Where is she?"

"She's a Britannian princess and she's one hundred percent safe. I have had several people tell me that and if they were lying, I'll torture every Britannian I lay eyes on," she said and Lelouch felt a smile tugging at his lips at her words.

"Morbid."

"I'm sick of people lying, people hiding, the innocent dying and paying the price for what the evil do. I know I've indirectly killed many people and directly killed many people, however," she paused, "I won't allow the ones I love to suffer for what I do. Scotty paid that price, as well as Ami and Shirley."

Isabella closed her eyes and Zero walked over to her.

"I admire how determined you are to stop the Empire from expanding. It means a lot to have someone so devoted to following me," he told her and she smiled, her eyes still closed.

"Thank you, Zero."

Zero sat down, next to her head and set a pillow on his lap.

"You can lie down here," he said, his hand on the pillow.

"It amazes me how friendly you are to me, even though you know I'm..." Isabella stopped herself and felt ashamed.

"I don't mind."

Isabella studied the masked face and then slowly raised her head to rest it on the pillow, feeling exhausted.

"I think I'm getting an idea...of who you are...Zero..." Isabella had her face towards his chest and drifted off to sleep.

Lelouch let her sleep for at least an hour, stroking her hair and his other arm around her waist. Kallen stepped in after an hour and saw Isabella asleep, took one look at Zero, nodded then left them. Another half hour passed and Isabella shifted her weight slightly and sighed deeply. Lelouch continued to stroke her hair and she opened her eyes before sitting up.

"I thought you would have left. Isn't your outfit uncomfortable?" Isabella asked, eyeing his suit and Lelouch shrugged.

"Not really, otherwise I wouldn't wear it constantly."

"Good point...but your helmet?"

"I'm fine, really."

"You saw right through that, huh?" Isabella stretched her arms out in front of her and twisted her fingers in her bangs.

"Yes," Zero said and set the pillow aside, still not moving from the couch.

"Thanks for being here for me, Zero. I may not show it but, it means a lot," Isabella said but avoiding making eye contact with him.

"No big deal. Its the least I can do right now."

Isabella wanted to respond but couldn't find the right words, only looking down at her hands on her lap.

"Can I thank you this time...?"

"You just did," Zero said, his eyebrows creasing behind the mask.

"No, I mean...never mind. I'm being weird," Isabella stood and started out of the room but Zero grabbed her hand. "Huh--?"

"Close your eyes," Zero said and pulled her back over to him. Isabella cocked her eyebrows but closed her eyes.

Lelouch stood up and lifted the mask off his face. Isabella sensed this and raised her hands up to his face, the warm skin slightly damp with sweat from being in the mask. Lelouch wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his and Isabella still kept her eyes closed, only focusing on the faint, minty breath caressing her lips. Her heart pounded as she moved her lips nearer to his and kissed him for a brief then pulled away.

_His taste..._

Isabella kissed Zero's hesitating lips again, keeping her eyes shut, letting her other senses take over. He didn't reply much, as if he were trying to hold back but she kissed him longer and he grew more responsive as the seconds added up.

_His taste...it _is _Lelouch...I can tell..._

Isabella felt adrenaline pulse through her and her arms snaked around Lelouch's neck. Her kiss become more enthusiastic and she nuuzzled his mouth, her hand running through his dark brown hair. Lelouch kept his lips moving in the same, passionate rhythem as Isabella's and his arms pulled her so securly against his body, he could feel her heart pound in her chest. Her ebony hair tangled with his fingers and Lelouch slowed the rhythem of the kiss, thier lips still touching. Isabella brought her hand back to the side of his face and rested her head against his shoulder, inhaling deeply and drawing her hand down his cheek to his neck and stopped when she reached the spot over his heart. She swallowed and laced her other arm through Lelouch's, her heart pounding a million times a minute.

_I love you Lelouch...you're Zero...that just makes me fall for you even more if that's possible...I love you so much Lelouch._

**Flash Forward One Week...**

"ROLO IS DOING WHAT?!" Isabella screamed as she forced her Knightmare to the left, dodging the bullets that were being fired at her. "DAMN YOU BRITANNIA!"

Isabella felt as if she had yet again lost someone important to her as the Knightmare she was driving swung it's blade out.

_Rolo being a spy for Britannia...and I accpeted that little bastard...letting him become my little brother..._

"Go to Hell you effin Britannian scumbags," Tamaki growled and came face to face with the enemy Knightmare.

"Tamaki, hold them off so Isabella and Kallen can get to the Lancelot and Rolo," Zero ordered and Tamaki smirked.

"Will do my man."

"I can only imagine what is running through Isabella's mind right now," C.C. told Lelouch softly and he curled his fingers into a fist.

"I thought he wouldn't do anything because of his attachment to her," he growled and his Geass gleamed, "I can't believe he'd betray her."

C.C. bowed her head then swirved the Knightmare around and clashed blades with a Britannian.

"Damn you Rolo, how could you do this to us?!" Lelouch yelled as C.C. struggled against the resisting force.

Back in her own Knightmare, Isabella weaved through the broken buildings and slammed the button activated the force shield protecting her against the gun shots being fired at her.

"Damn you Britannia, how much more do you want to torture the Japanese!?" she yelled. "You've taken my parents, friends and my little brother...GO TO HELL ALL OF YOU!"

Isabella made the Knightmare's mechanical fingers penetrate through a Britannian Knightmare and it fell over before exploding. Isabella gave a giggle and continued on, her Geass shining in her eye, the wolf like snarl curled across her lips.

"Isabella, the group behind you!" Kallen's voice warned in her ear and Isabella turned her gaze to the screen giving her a back view of the machine.

"Shit," she muttered when she saw four Knightmare's swarming her.

Thinking quick, Isabella looked at the screens showing buildings barely standing. An idea came to her mind and she swirved the Knightmare between two of the ruined buildings, the others following her. Isabella shot the fingers out again, making them wrap around weak pipes and stone pillars struggling to hold the shattered structures up. She floored the Knightmare, making it almost pummlet backwards at one point, but was finally able to yank the pipes and pillars, making them break and the buildings begin to collapse. Isabella took a moment to look back at her work, many tons of bricks and stones raining onto the Knightmares as she giggled and then flew away.

Only a minute passed of being in the sky and Isabella came face to face with the Lancelot, seeing Suzaku just barley in the pilot seat. Isabella's eyes darkened, a deep scowl carving into her face, and she held her hand over the button that would launch fire at him.

"What made you join them?" Isabella hissed through her teeth and almost pressed the button but Rolo shot at her from behind. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Sorry Isabella," Rolo's voice said into her ear and she gasped.

"I gave my all to be a family to you, and then you turn around and stab me in the heart!?" Isabella screeched and Rolo inhaled deeply.

"It's what I had to do."

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD! YOU TOLD ME BRITANNIA TOOK EVERYTHING FROM YOU!"

"They did."

Isabella reared around and shot the fire at his Knightmare but he dodged it and fired bullets at her.

"THEN WHY ARE YOU ON THIER SIDE?!"

"It's where I belong," Rolo said and used his Geass to make her freeze. Isabella felt herself pause unwillingly and her Knightmare began to fall.

"TO HELL WITH THAT--!"

The alarm began to scream and the Knightmare flipped several times, speeding for the ground.

"DAMN YOU ROLO! YOU WERE MY BROTHER!" Isabella cried, "SUZAKU I HATE YOU TOO FOR BEING SUCH A DOUCHE!"

Her Knightmare pummleted to the ground, Isabella making feeble attempts to regain control of it but failed.

"Shit..." she muttered as she saw a ruined building beneath her. "How convenient...total fuck my life moment..."

The Knightmare crashed through the building, making Isabella fly forward, cracking her head against the dashboard. Her arm bent under the weight of her body and she felt her wrist break, making her scream out in pain. The Knightmare tumbled for a few more seconds, then stopped once it came to the last floor. Isabella gasped for breath, blood flowing from her head into her right eye, and her wrist felt as if it had been spilt to pieces.

"It's a wonder I don't die from all of this..." Isabella grimaced and crawled over the broken glass to get out. "Zero, I need help, desperatly."

"We--Knightmare--help--you--are--"

Static intercepted Lelouch's voice and Isabella's eye twitched in annoyance.

"Wonderful, broken wrist, bleeding head, two so-called friends that stabbed Japan in the back and no means of good communication. This sucks," Isabella sighed and retreated back to her Knightmare to collect her gun. "Maybe I can find some soldiers and get back to Zero that way..."

Isabella hobbled out of the building, feeling as if she was going to break into pieces. Rain began to splatter the ground and it stung Isabella's wounds, making her grit her teeth. She cradled her broken wrist and kept the heavy gun at her side, eyes on the ground. Isabella only walked a few steps then stopped to lean her broken body against the side of the building. The air became thinner, harder to breath, and Isabella opened her mouth, letting the frigid rain trickle down her throat.

"Shirley," Isabella opened her eyes wearily and looked up at the grey sky, "it hurts. What do--I do--now...?"

There was no answer, and Isabella closed her eyes again, sinking down to the ground, her forehead on her knees and damp hair spilled around her figure.

"Shirley...Mother...I don't know what to do..."

There was a cock of a gun but Isabella didn't move.

"How did I know you would be here?"

She raised her head and looked into the masked face of the general.

"Get on your knees," he hissed and Isabella twitched.

"I'm sitting on my butt. That's as close as it gets," she sighed and kept the silver gun tucked between her thighs and stomach.

"I order you to, now do it!"

"Onii-san, you don't have to act around me, I'm not going to turn you in," Isabella spat and struggled to her feet, keeping the gun in her good hand.

"You're not who I think I am, my sister is dead," the general snarled and Isabella faced her body towards his.

"I'm Isabella Liberata, my brother, Michael, I am told, is a general in the Britannian army. I don't know why you would join them, Michael, but--"

There was a gun shot and Isabella felt a searing pain tear through her shoulder.

"Michael..." she gasped and fell backwards onto her back.

"You make me sick," he growled, removing the helmet off his head, his black hair falling down to his shoulders.

"M-Michael-onii--what are you doing--?!"

"You're such a stupid girl," Michael snarled, his gun pointing at her as she forced herself back up to her feet.

"What are you talking about? It's me, your little sister!" Isabella cried. "I thought you were dead and I can't believe you're still alive after the bombing and being taken away...Michael, how can you become apart of the Britannian army after they killed Mom and Dad?!"

"Are you stupid?"

"W-what?" Isabella felt as if her head was spinning and she was dizzy.

"You're such a dumb girl, you haven't figured it out yet have you?"

"Michael, what are you talking about? When did you get like this?! Please don't tell me you're under Geass power..."

"No, I'm not and I have many ways to prove it."

Michael's blue eyes were like ice daggers and he strode over to her, his gun pointed right at her heart.

"But--why? How...why--? You were always protecting me and I loved you more than anyone...why--?" Isabella stammered, her brother stopping a few feet from her.

"It was all an act. I knew what the Britannians were planning prior to the bombing that killed Mom and Dad! I was one of them to begin with, and I knew this war would happen!"

"I-impossible! Michael, you can't be--!"

"SHUT UP!" He fired his gun and it barley missed her. Isabella fell to her knees, defeated and the gun she washolding clattered next to her. "I was the one that planned the bombing in the first place."

"What?" Isabella felt a metaphorical bullet rip through her heart.

"The bomb that killed Astrid and Nathaniel Liberata was not spontaneous or random. It was a perfectly planned event. In fact, it was supposed to be the start of the Britannian reign, showing we dominated over the weak nation of Japan! You, Astrid and Nathaniel I knew wouldn't agree with me, so, there was no way I could join the Britannian army with you three in the way. You were always sniveling around me, clinging to me like an annoying diaese, you were my main obstical."

"Michael..." Isabella breathed, her eyes brimming with tears.

A cold laugh came from him and his eyes seemed almost demonic the way they were glowing.

"Everything went according to plan. The bomb was dropped as I posed as the protective brother that would do anything for his sister. I had you blindfolded so I could escape back to the headquarters as quickly as possible, expecting the soldiers to just kill you and that brat friend of yours right there. I wish I could have stayed and watched and had I stayed, you wouldn't be standing here groveling at my feet now."

"You were my first reason for fighting...after all I've been through to avenge you...I find out that you were the one that killed Mom and Dad?! What did they ever do?! They're your parents!" Isabella sobbed and clutched the gun in her hand, the rain falling harder around them.

"They wouldn't have approved of my fighting for Britannia. You know how it is, if you have an obsticle," he was directly in front of her now and grabbed her by her hair, yanking her to her feet, "get rid of it. Also, I thought I should let you know this as well."

Isabella shuddered and gritted her teeth as she felt the stabbing pain in her wrist increase.

"The bombing that took dear Scotty...yes, I knew about him, I saw you running out of the grocerey store with him all that time ago..." Michael's eyes gloated, "I shot him dead after you failed to save him. And little Shirley--tsk tsk--such a cute little girl, I didn't want to kill her at first, but, hey, another obstecle."

Isabella's jaw dropped and she stared at him.

"You're the one that murdered Shirley?!"

Michael smirked, looking proud of himself and Isabella crept her hand down to her thigh where her dagger was strapped.

"Like I said, she was bound to get in the way of me killing you, she was your best friend or so I heard you scream through the phone. Rolo--don't kill her--she's my best friend--"

"So you have me now, why not just kill me here?" Isabella demanded but her voice in a soft monotone.

"I have killed you," Michael whispered into her ear, "by slowly getting rid of the people you love the most, I knew I'd kill your spirit. You'd blame yourself, and the second Zero started his rebellion, I knew you'd join in order to avenge who you lost. It's so amusing what you were fighting for...thinking you were doing something for my sake, but you weren't. Now that you're here, what do you have to live for? Your parents and best friends are dead...so you have nothing. You have _nothing! _You're such a waste of space, useless, you're not good for anything!"

Michael grabbed Isabella's hair and swung her, making her yelp in pain.

"You're a sick, twisted tratior!" Isabella screamed as Michael forced her back on her knees, his gun pointing at her head, the black locks knotted around his hand.

"I've taken everything from you, so why don't you just beg for death!? Why are you not begging to be put out of your misery?!"

"Because that's what you want me to do and I will not give into Britannia!" Isabella declared, "I won't break!"

Michael's grip on her hair tightened and Isabella remembered the small dagger strapped to her thigh.

"I'll kill you right here," Michael hissed in her ear and cocked his gun.

_He's trying to provoke me...lower me down to his level...Mom...Dad...Shirley...Scotty...he killed all of you so why can't I just aim my gun up and blow out his brain? Or better yet...no I can't think like _that..._that's just...no...good torture method though..._

"Then quit talking and do it. If you want me dead so badly, then fucking shoot me to bits," Isabella snapped, her green eyes raging.

Michael stopped, shocked by her words and with one swift movement, Isabella had the dagger out, sliced it through her long black hair and was on her feet, gun aimed at her...brother.

"I'm so sick of the betrayals and lies," Isabella snapped, her now shoulder length hair billowing around her as it floated back down to her shoulders. "If you're going to shoot someone--" she fired and struck Michael in the ribs, "then don't talk and just shoot them."

A jackle like grin curled over Michael's lips and he cackled.

"This is what I wanted...I knew you'd avenge those you loved--so you really have dropped down to a mindless murderer--you have nothing now! You have NOTHING!"

Isabella fired again, this time missing but it shut him up.

"Shut your filthy mouth you asshole. I am going to make you suffer as long as possible--or at least I would but--something is holding me back at the moment--"

Isabella lowered her gun and observed her black strands of former hip length hair scattered about the uneven ground. She raised her hand to touch her shoulder length hair and sighed at the thought of the unplanned hair cut.

"You're such a waste of a human...you don't have any back bone...you won't even avenge your own family!" Michael shot, gripping his bloody rib cage, gasping for breath.

"You killed your own family so shut up. You make me sick...I looked up to you and you betray everyone that ever showed you love. We never did anything to you and you just brush aside your own family as if they are nothing. I however," Isabella fired again and struck him in the shoulder, "will make sure your last thoughts are ones that regret all you have done."

"I won't ever regret it!" Michael screamed and took aim at her.

Isabella remained motionless and the gunshot sounded, the bullet whistling passed her ear. Her hair swayed and her face was expressionless but tears were flowing down her face in the same beat as the rain. They both paused for a moment and then Michael sneered again.

"I thought he would be here," Michael laughed darkly.

"What--?"

"SEND IN MY MEN AND CAPTURE ZERO! HE'S HERE AND--"

"NO!! I WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO KILL ZERO!"

Isabella whipped her gun around and fired at least six times and threw her dagger. Michael's screams werev drowned out by the gun and once the smoke cleared, his body was lying on the ground, blood splattered everywhere. Isabella dropped her gun and fell to her knees at the sight of what she had done. The dagger was sticking up out of his chest, bullet wounds in his neck, one on his forehead, chest and shoulders. Blood pulsed from his temples and his eyes and mouth were all half way open, a crimson ribbon trickling out of his pale lips.

"Oh my--" Isabella slapped her hands over her mouth, her face twice as pale as it usually was and her eyes wide. "What have I done?!" Isabella lifted her hands up to her face, the rain clensing them, Michael's blood leaking out of his body, coming closer to her but not touching her at all.

_I killed my brother...I just killed--!_

"Dear God, please forgive me...I'm going to Hell..."

Isabella covered her face with her face and began to sob uncontroably for her actions.

"Isabella!" Zero's voice echoed for her and Isabella turned around to see him turn around, searching for her.

"Zero! I'm over here!" Isabella got to her feet, the searing pain returning to her entire body but she forced herself to run.

Zero spotted her and rushed over to her, picking her up bridal style immediatly.

"Zero...I just killed my own brother! I killed my..."

"It's okay, it's okay, don't worry about that now. Just worry about not losing so much blood," Zero said and Isabella felt lightheaded.

"I won't..."

"Hang in there, jsut keep listening to me," Lelouch said and darted behind a building, setting Isabella down in a patch of green grass. "Don't close your eyes, you'll be fine. Concentrate on me, that's right, hang in there."

Lelouch stripped his cape off and used it as a tourniquet for Isabella's bleeding shoulder and dabbed the caking blood off her head.

"Lelouch...Suzaku..." Isabella's head turned and Lelouch followed her gaze then heard a gun being fired.

_Damn it...why now of all times!?_

"I didn't think you'd drop to that level, Isabella," Suzaku said, his forest green eyes fixed on her and raging.

"He killed my parents and two of my best friends. Just be happy I didn't torture the bastard," Isabella snapped and pushed Zero's cape off of her. "You shouldn't be preaching to me either. You're a tratior too."

"At least I keep my head and remember my morals. You killed a general of the Britannian army and it goes that--"

Zero drew his gun out and aimed striaght at Suzaku's heart.

"She was undermy orders. If you want to shoot anyone it should be me," Zero said and Suzaku focused on him.

"You're afterward."

"So much for those morals. What about your friends? What about Lelouch and me? You betrayed both of us," Isabella said, her voice still in monotone and held her weapon with both of her hands. "You, Rolo and Michael are nothing but tratiors. I regret wasting any type of love I had given to you."

Isabella fixed her eyes on Suzaku, and curled her fists.

"I want nothing more to do with you...you've betrayed Japan...you're own people!"

"I want Britannia and Japan to--"

"YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT FOR THINKING WE CAN COMBINE AND GET ALONG! YOU SO NAIEVE AND STUPID FOR THINKING IDEALS ALONE CAN CHANGE ANYTHING!"

"IT'S BETTER THAN BEING USED BY A TERRORIST THAT HAS MURDERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!" Suzaku shouted back and shot his gun, one bullet striking the top of Lelouch's helmet, the other Isabella's arm.

"ISABELLA!" Zero cried as she fell into his arms and Suzaku's eyes widened. The mask split and fell to the ground, the wispy brown hair swishing over his face. Suzaku's eyes darkened, his gun still pointed at Lelouch.

"I was hoping I'd find someone else behind that mask," Suzaku said softly and Lelouch held Isabella up against his body.

"What do you plan to do, Suzaku?" Lelouch asked, referring to Isabella, and laid her down on the soft grass.

"I was hoping I was protecting her, from you."

"She wanted to follow me, she knows this world is falling to pieces," Lelouch snapped, two ribbons of blood trickling down his face.

"She killed her own brother and several soldiers--"

"Her brother is a tratior to her and you know it!" Lelouch cried and kept his hands pressed on Isabella's new wound. "What she is really trying to do is find Nunnally and return her to me!"

Suzaku stopped and gritted his teeth.

"Isabella has become a mindless murderer because of you!"

"What does it matter to you!? You don't even stand by her and you're never there for her! However, when you almost die, she's the one that gets you medical help! You're alive because of her!" Lelouch yelled and aimed his gun at Suzaku once again.

The brunette's hand shook and he kept his raging eyes on Zero.

"You're sick morals have blinded her of what this world can really become! She's unable to realize how peaceful this world can be you would just step down and let Britannia and Japan unite!"

"You stubborn idiot! Do you honestly think that could happen?! If it were that simple none of us would be here and Shirley as well as Isabella's family would all be alive!" Lelouch yelled and Isabella opened her eyes again.

"You're both hopeless!" Suzaku hissed and Lelouch stopped.

"What?!"

"You're both so against this world...after it's all said and done you both will betray the world as it's done to both of you! You're both just mindless, arrogent murderers!" Suzaku raged and his shaking gun in his hand went from Isabella to Lelouch.

"And you say you're in love with her?! You don't show Isabella any kind of love what so ever! No wonder she followed me! You weren't the one that spent seven years believeing she was still alive and searched for her! Rather you moped around believing the myth she was dead then joined the army for her sake!" Lelouch shouted and Suzaku fired his gun again.

Isabella tried to get to her feet but she couldn't move. Darkness began to overcome her and her head throbbed.

"I won't let you hurt her anymore!" Isabella heard Lelouch cry and a whisp of green hair glided over her face.

"LELOUCH!"

"SUZAKU!"

She was being picked up and someone was swiftly carrying her away.

There were two gunshots, then silence as the darkness overcame her.

**PLOT TWIST!! Poor Lelouch...D: Review please!! ^-^ **


	13. Blue Flames

**Thank you: Invader Designia! I give you the next chapter of _Tribulation has no Tourniquet! _^-^ Whoo!**

_So much pain...my entire body hurts...where am I? _

Isabella's head throbbed and she felt as if someone was carrying her.

_What happened? Why do I feel like I'm floating? Lelouch...where are you?_

Isabella couldn't move her body and her hands and feet felt as if they were bound together.

_What the...where am I? _

She opened her eyes and saw her hands were tied together by gauze and her ankles were bound together by gauze as well. She was being carried bridal style through a huge, elegant castle she did not recognize and panic consumed her.

"What the--?! Where am I?!"

"The palace of King Charlres Di Britannia," was the answer and Isabella looked up at Suzaku, who didn't meet her eyes.

"Suzaku...how could you be so...?! You traitor! Where is Lelouch?!"

"That is none of your concern. What happenes to that person from here on out doesn't affect you," Suzaku snapped coldly. Isabella felt her body tense and she resisted hitting him in the side of the face. He'd drop her if she did.

"What the hell happened to you?! You're fighting for power hungry dictators that abuse all of thier people!" Isabella shrieked at him and he met her eyes with a cold stare.

"And you're fighting for a terrorist that is hopeless and will only betray the world the way it betrayed him. I know Lelouch better than anyone and that--"

"YOU IDIOT! To hell you know Lelouch better than anyone!"

"What, and you know him better than me? Did you know he is a Britannian prince?!"

"As a matter of fact I did you dumbass!"

"Then put two and two together Isabella. If he gains anymore power then he'll only abuse it and become the thing he hates the most!"

"He's fighting against Britannia! He's trying to spread world peace and end the tryanny but you're too stupid to see that. If you would just get out of the way everything would be--"

"His exsistance as well as yours are mistakes!" Suzaku snapped and Isabella gasped inaudibly. "In the end, with you two together, you both will abuse your powers and turn your backs on the world the same way it did to both of you. You both have killed so many innocent people--"

"The people I killed directly I had a legit reason for. They were my enemy and I used them for the information I needed. Nunnally was kidnapped and I had no idea where she was or if she was still alive. I know killing people is wrong and I don't like doing it but you can't be in a war without getting blood on your hands. I'm no innocent little girl but I don't regret killing the ones I did."

"You should."

"Look you, you're an honorary Britannian and you operate the friggin' Lancelot! Don't go preaching to me and accussing me of murder when your hands are more bloodstained than mine!"

"At least I didn't get my best friend murdered. You pulled Shirley into all of this and you're the one responsible for her death," Suzaku hissed at her and Isabella froze.

"W-what?"

"If you had avoided being in the war to begin with she might still be here but you let your own feelings blind you and remain oblivious of the consequences. You were there when she died and did you even think of calling a doctor?"

"She was almost dead by the time I got to her! She wouldn't have survived even if I did call for help!" Isabella cried, the images of Shirley's torn, bloody body flashing through her mind.

_The sea of crimson...the sound o__f the gun being fired at her...I wanted to save her...I wanted to save her! No...not Shirley..._

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME!" Isabella yelled at him and they came to a ballroom, or what Isabella assumed to be a ballroom.

"You're just a mindless murderer now. You've killed your brother."

"He killed my parents, Scotty and Shirley. Don't defend him!"

"Even so, you have the blood of a Britannian general on your hands."

"Then kill me for it. I know the punishment for harming and killing a Britannian general," Isabella snarled at him and Suzaku made a light noise.

They exited the ballroom...or whatever it was...and entered a dimly lit room where a large man with curls stacked on each other that fell to his shoulders sat on a throne. Isabella narrowed her eyes and Suzaku sat her on a hard wooden chair, taking another cloth and tying it around her middle.

"I'm bound around the hands and ankles. Do you think I can hop away or something?" Isabella growled at him but he ignored her.

_Imbecile._

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Isabella," King Charles started and then looked over at Suzaku. "Cover her eyes."

Suzaku knotted a cloth around her eyes and Isabella heard the cock of a gun.

_You wouldn't be able to use your Geass anyway. You're tied up. _C.C. voice whispered in Isabella's mind and she mentally replied.

"I wasn't going to anyway. There's nothing I'd be able to do unless I killed Suzaku and I wouldn't be able to do that?"

_You were able to kill your own brother who also betrayed you. _

"Even though I hate defending him right now, Suzaku is doing his job. Besides, I killed a Britannian general and the punishment for that is death."

_I am not going to allow them to kill you. _

"How do you plan on stopping them? You may be immortal but--"

_Don't underestimate me Isabella. Just hang in there and do what they say, alright? _

"Fine. Don't get yourself murdered."

_Who are you talking to?_

Isabella smirked and C.C. left her mind.

"Any last words, Isabella?" Charles asked and Isabella could feel Suzaku pointing his pistol at her.

"You won't be able to hurt me, Suzaku, I saved you once," Isabella started and Suzaku opened his mouth then closed it, Charles watching him intently. "Remember when you first found out I was a Black Knight? You couldn't arrest me because you loved me too much. You accuse me of doing impulsive things and letting my emotions blind me, but you're just being hypocritical because you do the exact same thing. You're choices are made entierly by feelings...what you feel is what you do...and as for the death of Shirely..." Isabella raised her head, sensing where Suzaku was standing, "I do not hold myself responsible for it. I've grieved over her because she was the only one besides Kallen and Lelouch to ever remain by my side through anything. She's the truest friend I've ever had and if it were possible, I would go back to that day and put myself in Shirley's place so she could be alive today."

Suzaku's gun shook violently in his hand as Isabella held her posture in a proud manner.

"I wanted to join Zero's rebellion therefore I will remain loyal to him. I will die a Black Knight," she told him nobely and Charles puffed out his chest.

"Kururugi, don't shoot," he ordered and the young Knight lowered his gun. "Uncover her left eye. The right one is the one that contains the Geass."

Suzaku did as he was ordered and Isabella's left eye was uncovered.

"You're the one that has caused all of this," Isabella snapped when she saw the king, "your twisted ways ruined my brother and robbed my parents of their lives. You ruined Japan...raping it of its culture and freedom...you make me sick."

"I am not concered with what a low life like you thinks of me," Charles chuckled darkly and Isabella's green eye shone demonically.

"You've made a traitor out of someone Lelouch and I trust the most."

"Now that you speak of Lelouch, where is he, Kururugi?"

"I could only get her," Suzaku answered and Charles clicked his tounge, annoyed.

"Fine then, I want you to go find him and once you do, exterminate him."

Isabella felt her heart stop.

"Suzaku you can't! Oh my God...you cannot follow that!"

Suzaku again ignored her and bowed deeply.

"Yes, your majesty."

_"SUZAKU! YOU CAN'T! DON'T LISTEN TO HIS SICK WAYS! SUZAKU!" _

The brunette left and Isabella felt her throat go dry as Charles forced her gaze up at him, both of his eyes shining with the Geass symbol.

"As for you," he started and Isabella felt tears drenching her face.

"No, don't hurt Lelou! Kill me! Don't hurt Lelouch! You can't kill him! He's your son for Christ's sake!"

"Forget," Charles ordered.

"Not Lelouch! Don't hurt him! You can't kill him! Please don't kill him!"

"Forget about Lelouch and everything you two have done," Charles said and Isabella sqeezed her eye shut.

"I WON'T DO IT!"

Charles forcefully opened her eye again and Isabella screamed.

"Forget your love for him...forget fighting with him...forget the memories you two have had. You no longer know Lelouch."

"_Lelouch_!"

The Geass activated and in an instant, Isabella's most precious memories were erased from her mind.

***

_Geass is an extremely power gift or curse to have. It can tamper with memories and make you forget the one you love the most..._

Lelouch ran through the halls with C.C., searching for Isabella.

_...however...it can't make you completly forget._

"Lelouch," the immortal stopped and Lelouch followed her gaze where an unconcious Isabella was laying on the ground.

_There are two things that overpower a Geass though..._

Lelouch rushed to her side, Charles gone from view, and knelt down beside her. He picked her up, her head resting onto his shoulder.

_...death..._

C.C. touched the girl's hand and closed her gold eyes.

"She's under Geass power."

"What happened to her?!" Lelouch demanded and C.C. sighed heavily.

"From what I am getting, her memories have been erased."

"Which memories?!"

C.C. inhaled deeply again, avoiding Lelouch's desperate eyes.

"The ones that she has shared with you. When she wakes up, she won't remember who you are."

_...and the most powerful emotion one can feel..._

Lelouch's heart skipped a beat and he stared disbelievingly at C.C.

"Please tell me that's a joke..."

"I wish I could," C.C. said, "come one, we need to get her out of here."

Lelouch said nothing, his words gone as he held Isabella in his arms and swiftly followed C.C. out of the castle.

_...Love._

The two warriors reached Zero's ship and Lelouch laid Isabella comfortably down on a cozy couch. They took off, Lelouch not leaving Isabella's side, his fingers caressing her face.

"Just a ray of hope for you, Lelouch," C.C. broke the silence after a few, long minutes, "the loss of memory isn't permanent."

Lelouch smiled faintly and the memory of the last kiss he had with Isabella flash through his memory.

"Then, we'll all just have to wait. Until she remembers, we'll protect her from a far."

"I don't mind that. I'm rather attatched to her," C.C. admitted and Lelouch leaned forward, kissing the sleeping, unreponsive lips tenderly before sitting beside C.C.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, she's one heck of a friend. Not to mention she buys me pizza all the time. I've gotten many Cheese-kuns because of her...which makes me very happy."

"You're going to miss that aren't you?" Lelouch teased half heartedly and C.C. smiled.

"Very much, but what I think I'll miss the most is the constant, random bickering between her and Tamaki."

"Oh...yeah...I wonder what he's going to do when he finds out...Isabella is his buddy," Lelouch said and clenched his fists, "I wish she had never ran into Michael. I know it wasn't her fault at all but still..."

"We couldn't avoid this from happening, Lelouch. It was fate," C.C. told him and his leaned his head against his fist.

"This is when Isabella would say 'Fate's a bitch at times'."

C.C. felt another smile spread across her face and hit the autopilot button.

"Like I said, the power is only temporary. Everything will be alright."

Lelouch closed his eyes and sighed, calming himself.

_Even if it seems impossible, Geass power can be beaten whether it's defeater be death or love. _

**I didn't make this cheesey did I? Well, like C.C. said, the memory loss is temporary...so...yeah. Next update will be soon...probably tomorrow. XD Review cause LELOUCH VI BRITANNIA/LAMPEROUGE ORDERS YOU TO! -Zero's sexy laugh- XD Seriously, review. **


	14. I'll Come Back

**Thank you: Invader Designia, brunettebookworm14 and Usagi323 (who also reviewed last time but I didn't get the alert till after I updated. I'm so sorry! But thank youX2 Usagi-san...which is the name of my Fruits Basket OC...LOL! That fiction not published yet...XD) Let the awesomeness begin...haha, just kidding! ^-^**

**Two Days Later...**

Isabella stood in the pouring rain staring down at Shirley's grave, tears leaking out of her eyes.

_Why did she have to kill herself? Why?! Why did she have to die..._

The sound of footsteps were behind her and Isabella perked her ears, listening to the light squeaking of shoes over wet grass. Isabella kept her back to whomever it was and the footsteps stopped. She sensed someone behind her and an umbrella hovered over her head. Isabella looked over her shoulder to see a boy dressed in the Ashford Academy uniform, his deep violet eyes peering at her and his dark brown hair dripping rain drops.

"You'll catch a cold if you stand out here any longer," he said and Isabella bowed her head, not saying a word. "You're in most of my classes, aren't you Isabella?"

She nodded, still not saying anything and hugged herself, feeling cold. The boy stepped closer to her, coming under the umbrella as well and his violet eyes focused on Shirley's grave.

"I knew her too. She was one of my best friends," he told her and Isabella tilted her head.

"Yeah? Shirley was like my sister. We've been friends since birth...or we had been...then for some reason she--committed--I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk about it since I'm sure you know," Isabella said and the boy nodded.

"Yes, school isn't the same without Shirley around," he said and Isabella noticed how his voice held a certain note as if he had lost someone else as well.

"Have you...lost someone else too? Another friend?" she asked before thinking.

There was a pause and Isabella felt herself blush.

"Sorry...I shouldn't have asked. I'm so impulsive...I always act before I think," she admitted and the boy smiled.

"It's alright, and to answer your question, yes," he said and Isabella felt a pang of empathy. "She was very important to me. I loved her...I still do."

Isabella stared at him, her green eyes flooding with empathy. She raised her hand to his face and rested her warm fingers against his wet cheek, offering a small smile.

"I don't know how much comfort this is to you, but my mom always used to tell me before she died, that no matter what happens, everything will turn out right in the end," she said and the boy turned his head towards the warm touch of her hand. "It sounds preachy and cleche but to add my own twist to it, I say Fate's a bitch at times but even so, everything falls into place afterwards and everybody wins one way or another."

He laughed lightly and opened his eyes, which were smiling.

"Thanks. To be honest, that's comforting."

Isabella beamed.

"I'm glad I could help. Hi, I'm Isabella," she added just to formally introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Lelouch Lamperouge," he said and Isabella removed her hand off his face.

"I think we should go back to school so neither of us catch pnemonia," Isabella said and Lelouch still held the umbrella over them.

"Alright, I'll walk with you."

Isabella prayed a good bye to Shirley and then touched the Lotus necklace that was left behind for her that hung around her neck beneath her rose.

_I'll come back soon, I promise._

_**One Year Later...**_

Isabella awoke and stretched her arms, the sunlight shimmering through the curtains. She relaxed her hands behind her head and looked over at her sleeping roommate Kallen, who had moved in at the headmaster's request shortly after Shirley passed away and Nina had moved out. Incapable of rolling over and going back to sleep, Isabella pushed the covers off of herself and crept into the bathroom, a change of clothes in her hand.

"I wonder what Lelouch is planning today...he's always running off with Rolo..." Isabella wondered aloud as she replaced her pajama bottoms with jeans. "They both are going to fail all thier classes if they keep it up...ah...why do I keep getting these cold feelings towards Rolo? It's the same with Suzaku...and my brother whenever I think of him..."

Isabella pulled a blue tank top over herself and began to brush her hair, which had grown to the middle of her back.

"Another weird thing I can't remember is getting my hair cut...it used to be down to my hips..."

She set the brush down and began to braid her black locks together in twin braids.

"It's so weird how I can't remember some of the simplest things...getting my hair cut...being angry with Suzaku or Rolo...and how could I know Rolo for so long but just meet Lelouch only a year ago...there's a link missing," Isabella told her relection which only returned the confused expression. "I've been trying to figure it out since that rainy night at Shirley's grave...something about Lelouch...the way he looked at me and the way he nuzzled my hand...something clicked..."

Isabella leaned against the sink and sighed.

"But how could I forget events in my own life...? My past...I always start there...let's see...the bombing that killed Mom and Dad...I was seperated from Michael...was a slave for seven years then Shirley came back and got me freedom back...but why does that seem off? I fell in love with someone because of that...but I didn't fall in love with Shirley...it couldn't have been her that won that chess game...no it wasn't her..." Isabella's eyes widened and she continued her train of thought, "but if it wasn't Shirley then who was it?!"

Isabella groaned and her brain hurt from trying to put the puzzle together. Too many pieces were missing but she was too stubborn to let it go.

"I have to figure it out...I will too..." Isabella assured herself and walked out of the bathroom then out of the dorm. She had to get out of the Academy to clear her head and she decided to go down to the bookstore nearby for a quiet place to think.

Isabella stepped out onto the healthy, green grass, the sun's golden rays warming her and she made her way down the sidewalk, passing fast food resturants and a Pizza Hut. Isabella glance sideways randomly and a whisp of icy blue hair caught her eye. It seemed familiar and Isabella caught the sight of a blue haired girl sitting out on a bench, her gold eyes observing her surroundings. The ebony haired teen studied her as she walked by, the gold eyes meeting hers. Isabella blinked and the girl was on her feet, thier eyes still connected for a breif moment then Isabella looked away, the strange feeling of the eyes still watching her.

_Weird...she seemed familiar..._

Isabella raised her hand to her forehead and continued walking to the book store.

_It's so strange...I can remember things and yet I can't...what is it with me_?

She reached her destination and stepped through the automatic doors heading straight for the fiction section.

_Maybe I read too much...but maybe someone did some sort of spell...but who could do that? _

Abandoning the romance section of the fiction half of the small store, Isabella scurried over to the area containing books on witchcraft.

_I don't know of any witches...but maybe there's something in these books that can give me an answer about my apparent lost memories..._

Isabella spent over an hour searching through mythology books and witchcraft books trying to come up with an answer or at least think of a hypothesis. She snapped the fifth book she had read through and slipped it through an open space on the shelf, her eyes hurting from nonstop reading.

_I simply don't get it...I know there is no book that can tell me what's wrong with me but I couldn't even so much as get a hunch!_

Sighing, Isabella walked out of the book store even more frustrated than when she left the Academy. Too many questions whirled in her mind like a cyclone and for a moment, it seemed she would have the answer then it would slip through her fingers like sand and water.

_I have to figure this out...either that or I am going to lose my mind even more!_

Isabella came to the Pizza Hut again and sat down on the same bench she saw the blue haired girl sitting. Inhaling the sweet air and realizing she had the rest of the day to herself, Isabella rose again and headed downtown. She kept her light violet back pack strap secure against her shoulder and braved walking through the ghettos.

"Damn Britannia," she muttered and spotted two young children trudging through the ruines of a house. "Hey!"

They looked up at her and thier eyes widened as they started to scurry away.

"No, wait a minute!" Isabella called out but they didn't stop. "They must think I'm a Britannian...well I'd rather be ripped limb from limb than be a part of that...demonic...presence..."

Isabella walked up to the ruined house and unzipped her backpack, leaving a paper bag lunch behind for the kids as well as a prayer they had a better home to go back to. Isabella continued on, the ghettos only getting worse as she walked farther and her legs grew tired. She sat down on a lingering cinder block and set her pack next to her, propping her head on her elbows.

"I wonder...maybe I could try and join Zero's rebellion...what the--?"

_Geass...possess and read minds..._

_"You'll be extremely useful to Zero" _

_She kissed his hesitiating lips again...keeping her eyes shut...letting the rest of her senses take over..._

_I love him..._

"Ah!" Isabella snapped back to her senses and rubbed her temples. "What was that?!"

Isabella glanced beside her and saw a long arm reaching for her bag. She snapped her head to her left and saw a dirty, Japanese man robbing her bagand she jumped to her feet but he was already running away, bag in hand.

"That wasn't smart! Dang it Isabella...common sense! Hey! Get back here before I call the cops on you!" Isabella yelled and the man darted behind a building. Isabella followed him and saw he had stopped, his back to her and he was backing away. "Dude, what the hell? Give me my bag. I need it for school and there isn't anything you can hawk for a large amount of money."

The man didn't face her and Isabella strutted right up to him and snatched her bag out of his hand.

"Thank _you_, now, what are you--"

She followed his wide eyed gaze and the man ran off, leaving her alone with none other than Zero.

"Ze--ro-sama!" Isabella stammered and he approached her.

"You shouldn't do such foolish things here in the ghetto," he scolded and Isabella bowed.

"I'm sorry, I was feeling kind of off and set my bag down without thinking. Thank you for stopping that man...I don't feel like doing my history paper over again," she smiled, feeling highly embarassed and then slung the bag back over her shoulder.

_His hands were on either side of her head and his body was pressed against hers, protecting her from the crumbling building..._

_A swish of green hair in the shadows..._

_Guns fired and she felt the searing pain ip through her body..._

_Crimson...blood...innocent people gone..._

_Geass..._

"Isabella?" Zero had his hands on her shoulders and the outside of Isabella's irises glowed a faint red which grew weaker by the second.

_"Don't shoot her Rolo! She's my best friend!" _

_"I didn't want to kill little Shirley...but she was another obsticale_..."

_Geass..._

"No...wait, stop!" Isabella's eyes shone red even more and Zero tried to raise her head to eye level but she shook from his touch. "I don't want to forget!"

"Isabella, what's going on?!" Zero paniced and Isabella's eyes returned to normal, a confused look replacing the terror-stricken expression.

"Nothing, I just said thank you," she replied, seeming to have no memory of the previous thrity seconds.

_She was having a flash back...this could mean she's about to get her memories back..._

"Alright, just be more careful," Zero warned and Isabella nodded obediantly.

"I will, and thank you so much."

Zero turned on his heels, his cape swishing and walked away leaving Isabella biting her lip, hoping he hadn't taken her sudden flashback to heart.

**Two Days later...**

"EVeryone, get your pins ready!" Milly ordered as she burst through the door of the Student Council room.

Isabella finished glueing white lace around her red heart pin and clipped it onto her uniform shirt. It was Valentines Day and Milly had decided to make everyone design festive pins for the occasion. The point, get someone of the opposite sex to exchange pins (girls had red guys had white) with thier name on it and he/she had to be thier "valentine" that day. Isabella's goal: get through the day alive and avoid being scarred for life. Maybe get Lelouch to...Isabella shook her head, trying to bat away the impossible day dream.

_Although...maybe I should tell him how I feel...but today he'll be bombarded with girls scrambeling to spill thier hearts to him, so, I guess I shouldn't...I'd just be another obsession confession._

"Hey, Isabella," Rivalz came up to her, a white heart pinned on his shirt, and Isabella squeaked in surprise, "are you going to exchange with anyone?"

"Uh, I don't think so," she said, her face glowing scarlet and the room seemed to grow one hundred degrees hotter.

"But what about Lelouch?" Rivalz asked quietly, leaning toward her more and she went brighter red when she stole a glance at Lelouch across the room.

"I doubt he'd want to trade with _me _since he's got so many other girls that like him...all of them are really pretty too," Isabella said and rubbed the back of her neck.

"You two used to be inseperable and I swore you confessed to each other--"

"What are you talking about?"

Rivalz was shocked and opened his mouth to answer but Rolo appeared, practically tackling Isabella.

"Isabella-onee!" he excliamed.

"Rolo-chan! You scared me!"

"Sorry, I couldn't hold him back," Suzaku said as he walked up behind Isabella, a white heart also pinned to his shirt.

Bitterness crept into Isabella and she found herself having to force a smile when she saw him.

_I don't know why...but it feels like he _abandoned _me when I needed him most...no...Suzaku wouldn't do that to me...he wouldn't do that to anyone...however, these feelings return every time I see him...it means _something_..._

"Is everyone ready?" Milly asked, her hands on the door knobs and everyone gave her a nod. "Alright! Go exchange!"

The blond opened the door and the members scattered in the hallways, returning to their friends and Isabella found herself solo.

"Isabella!" someone called to her and the eighteen year old turned around, seeing a boy running towards her. She didn't recognize him nor was she able to get a glance at his name tag, since he had a boquet of red roses covering it.

"Um, hello."

"Hi, I was wondering if you'd want to exchange pins, and I bought you these!" the boy said and shoved the flowers in her face.

"Uh--I'm sorry--but I don't know you--"

"We have myth together."

"I'm not taking mythology this semester. You must have me confused with someone else," she said and the boy lowered the flowers. His face went brick red when he saw her.

"Oh...I am so sorry...I did confuse you with someone else...my girlfriend actually. You look exactly like her from the back. Hair length and color...the same name too. I'm sorry! Oh God, she's gonna kill me!"

"Nah, it's okay. It was a mistake if I look just like her. Plus you had the roses waving all over the place," Isabella said and the boy laughed awkwardly.

"Right...I'm going to go find her."

"Happy Valentines Day!"

Isabella continued walking as the boy scampered away and no sooner had he left her alone, Rolo had caught up with her again.

"Hi again, Isabella-onee," he greeted.

"Hey Rolo. Are you going to trade with anyone today?"

"I doubt it unless it's a friend," Rolo replied and Isabella ruffled his hair.

"I think you should find a pretty girl to trade hearts with, Rolo, I think that would be adorable," she told him and Rolo felt his breath catch in his chest when she touched him.

"I dunno...I would ask you but you're like my older sister and I think Big Brother would be mad at me," he said and Isabella's eyebrows creased.

"Why would Lelouch be mad?"

"Maybe mad was the wrong word...irritated...no...maybe just disappionted..."

"Why?"

"I think he wants to trade with you," Rolo said and Isabella blinked.

"With _me_?"

_uh-oh...I wasn't supossed to say anything..._

"WellIdunnoaskhimbye!" Rolo stammered in a hurry and sprinted away, making Isabella's face go o.O.

"Okay then Rolo," she murmured and went downstairs. "I think Milly needed some plates for the party later...I'll get some to kill some time..."

Isabella weaved through the aisles and then tripped over a crouching person.

"Hey, what gives?" Isabella asked, her black hair spilling across her shoulders and a hand slapped over her mouth.

"Please don't say anything. I have so many people following me!"

"Lelouch?" Isabella blurted through his hand which came out more "Wewouch?"

"Oh, hi Isabella. What are you doing?"

He removed his hand and Isabella kneeled in front of him as he sat back.

"I was getting some paper plates for the party later in the Student Council room. What are you doing?"

"Hiding."

"From who? Fan girls?"

"Exactly."

Isabella placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"I am so sorry. I feel for you, I really do."

Lelouch laughed and pushed his brown bangs aside before leaning back on one of the shelves.

"Why don't you just tell them that you want to trade with the girl you're in love with?" Isabella asked after a moment and Lelouch sighed.

"They all think I'm talking about one of them."

"Ew."

"I agree...so you still remember that statement huh?"

"Of course. You told me that at Shirley's grave about a year ago...you said you lost the girl you fell for."

"Well, not to death," Lelouch said and Isabella cocked an eyebrow.

"Was she in love with someone else?"

"No."

"Then...how'd you lose her?"

"She forgot about me," Lelouch said quietly and Isabella had to lean back on her hunches before responding.

"How did she_ forget_ about you?"

"She was ordered to. Her memories were tampared with," Lelouch told her and Isabella felt something click.

_Could I possibly...no...there's no way _I'd_ be able to win the heart of Lelouch..._

"What was she like...in your relationship if you don't mind me asking?" Isabella pressed on to see if anything he said would ring a bell.

Lelouch inhaled deeply, a smile on his face.

"She was beautiful...extremely stubborn though and loathed people bossing her around. She was very determined to accomplish her goals which were high but she didn't care; she just wanted them to become reality and she wouldn't let anyone or anything get in her way," Lelouch told her and Isabella listened intently. "But most of all, she was extremely loyal and she didn't let her love blind her of the truth to who I was. She knew for the most part what she was getting herself into when she got involved with me...she didn't expect a cake walk which I could tell by looking at her and she accepted whatever good or bad luck came to her."

Isabella moved herself closer to him and he focused his eyes on her.

"I love her, I really do," he said and Isabella felt her heart pound when she felt his fingers carefully touch her hair.

"I'm sure she'll come back to you...if that doesn't sound sappy or cheesy..." she said and cleared her throat.

"I hope so."

They were quiet for a few minutes and Isabella began to fiddle with her heart pin. Lelouch's arm was propped above his shoulder, his hand directly above Isabella's head and his fingers delicatly touched her hair. Isabella met his eyes and swallowed hard to wet her drying throat.

_Strange...I don't feel heart broken or any of that when he told me about the girl he's in love with...but I love him so why don't I feel so much as a little jealous when he told me?_

"Isabella," Lelouch said after a minute and she automatically had her hand against his face. His eyes half closed and he turned his head into her hand just as he had done on the rainy night and enclosed his fingers over hers.

_I won't let you hurt anymore..._

Isabella tilted her head slightly and leaned in closer to him, his hand still over hers.

_I love you, Isabella..._

Her breath breezed over his lips and Lelouch could feel the electricity of her lips almost pulsing against his.

"Lelouch..." she breathed and Lelouch had his arms around her waist, pulling her body into his. Her hands glazed over the back of his neck and they kissed each other, thier lips pressed together desperatly for the first few seconds then relaxed.

_His taste..._

Isabella's eyes opened, the outside of her irises gleaming a faint red.

_The rain poured...his lips kissing hers...his body shielding her from the debris...after Ami's death...he took off his mask and he kissed me...I love him...Lelouch freed me...not Shirley...I met her after I came to Ashford..._

The red around her eyes dimmed even more and Isabella closed her eyes again. She felt Lelouch's tounge brush against her lips and she parted them her own touching his. Isabella felt her heart racing in her chest and she retracted her tounge from Lelouch's mouth, he mirroring her actions. He reluctantly let go of her and she tried to stop the irksome noise of the blood pounding in her ears. She felt her face flush red and Lelouch sat back.

"Well...to keep those squealing fan girls away," Isabella didn't finish but unclipped the red heart off her shirt and undid Lelouch's as well. "I'll trade with you."

She secured the red pin against Lelouch's shirt and she pinned his on herself then beamed.

"There, that'll keep them away."

Lelouch grinned and stood up, Isabella doing the same and grabbing the paper plates off the shelf.

"Thanks, Isabella," he said and she lit up.

"No problem!"

**Three A.M.**

_She ran so hard her legs felt like they were on fire...they screamed for her to stop but she continued, the gun clasped at her side. A gun shot shrieked and Isabella felt herself begin to fall backwards. Someone caught her and she was carried off before slipping into unconciouness. When she awoke, a man with powder white hair leaning over her and his eyes gleaming red. _

_"Lelouch...don't hurt him...you can't possibly hurt your own son" _

_"Forget" _

_"Why" _

_"Forget about Lelouch" _

_"I can't" _

_The red shone and there was a flash then everything went black. _

_She found herself in a pure white area...there was a swish of rich, green hair and the familiar gold eyes were staring at her. _

_"Geass" _

_"What" _

_"Remember Lelouch" _

_"I do" _

_"Tell me everything you remember about him" _

_"He freed me from slavery...he's the one I've been best friends with since the beginning of my life...I fought with him as a Black Knight...Lelouch is Zero..."_

_"And" _

_"I love him" _

_The green haired girl smiled and traced her long, slender finger over Isabella's right eye. _

_"Geass..." _

Isabella jolted awake, gasping and sat up, pressing her hands against her sweating forehead.

"I remember him...my Geass...I'm a Black Knight...Lelouch, I'm so sorry..."

Isabella thanked the Lord Kallen wasn't waking up as she walked out of her dorm, her most precious memories flowing back into her mind.

**I think I should have made it a bit longer (Isabella having her memories erased) but I couldn't think of anything to put in. Hope you liked it! Reviews please! And happy New Year!! :D **


	15. Tourniquet

**Thank you: Usagi323, 0208 and brunettebookworm14! :D The end is near...almost...sorta...few chapters left...okay read now. XD Enjoy! :D**

"I don't want to hurt Isabella-onee anymore. I can't do that to her..." Rolo said, his voice trembling, and squeezed his ankles sitting cross legged on Suzaku's bed.

"Rolo, I don't want to hurt her anymore either, but you know the Emperor. Isabella is a tra-"

"Don't say it! No she's not!" Rolo slapped his hands over his ears and Suzaku sighed. "Onee-sama is a wonderful person and she has a solid reason for everything she does! She's not a mindless killer. Every that has died by her hand deserved it."

"Listen to me. We're under orders and-"

"I won't do it," Rolo declared and Suzaku was taken aback. "I won't do anything else to help Britannia because all I am to them is a tool. Isabella and Lelouch...they're the only ones that have ever shown me that I'm not just some tool for people to use...Isabella was the first one that actually have all of her memories and accept me even if it took a awhile. I know she still probably loves Nunnally more than me...but still, she was constantly saying I'm her little brother..."

"She's trying to ease the guilt and pain from killing her older brother," Suzaku spat and Rolo's eye glared at him.

"Michael Liberata was the one that killed Isabella-onee's best friend. He took her parents and several best friends from her. If I were in Isabella-onee's position, I would have shot him too."

"Even so, he was a general."

"He deserved what he got. Actually, from my point of view, Isabella-onee was merciful. I think she should have tortured him for all the pain he caused her. You claim to be in love with Isabella-onee so why do you only betray and hurt her?" Rolo finally asked and then stalked out of the room, leaving Suzaku again, taken aback and having a ton to reflect on.

**Flash to Isabella...**

"So, Shirley died at the hands of my brother as did my parents and Scotty," Isabella repeated as she walked to the meeting place of the Black Knights.

"Unfortunately. To be fully honest with you, Isabella, I think you are better off not fighting. You have the whole Britannian army after you because of Michael's status, Suzaku included," Zero told her but she scoffed.

"Then let them come and get me. I know the consequences of killing a general. I didn't enter this war thinking I would keep my hands clean, Zero. I knew I would directly kill several people and I would not be an innocent little high school girl anymore," Isabella said and clenched her fists. "Besides, it was for Shirley's sake I killed my brother. I wanted to avenge Shirley's death as well as my parents and I accomplished my goal. However..." they had reached the stairs and Isabella paused on the third one, "murdering my own brother is a blood stain I will never be able to get rid of. I will never forgive myself for killing my family, whether or not he was the one behind my parents', Shirley and Scotty's deaths."

"So now what?" Lelouch asked her and Isabella looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"What?"

"Your reason for fighting. What is it?" he asked her and she smiled, but it was a sad smile. Isabella turned around and put her hand on hs cheek, her now distant green eyes looking deep into his.

"I'm fighting for Lelouch and Nunnally," she almost whispered, "I'm also fighting for a world where they can have the peaceful lives they deserve...no matter what Fate has cut out for me."

Lelouch returned her smile but his eyes had darkened a bit.

"Don't die," he said and she messed with his hair.

"Don't assume the worst you pessimist!"

Lelouch rolled his eyes but the smile remained on his face and he stuck his Zero mask back on his head before entering the quiet court yard just beyond the cement stairs. Isabella scanned the area before laying eyes on Tamaki, Kallen and Kaname Ohgi all but Kallen having their backs to her. Kallen was the first to notice Isabella's return and the ebony haired girl waved, Kallen's face lighting up brighter than the moon shining overhead.

"Hi Kallen!" Isabella called as she ran down into the courtyard, Tamaki and Ohgi turning.

"Isabella's back!" Tamaki pointed out the obvious and held his arms out, welcoming a hug. Isabella sprang into his arms, ecstatic to see him again (plus remember all the petty but amusing arguments they had all the time the previous year) and hugged him so tightly, he had to beg her to let go so he could breath.

"Tamaki! I missed you so much!"

"You didn't even remember me!"

"But I missed you from the time I got my memories back up until right now!"

"And how long was that?"

"About twenty minutes."

"I feel so special," Tamaki grumbled sarcastically and Kallen rolled her blue eyes.

"Well you're the only one she's voiced missing," the red head sighed and Tamaki gave Isabella a brotherly pat on the head.

"Yeah...I missed you too," he told her and Isabella smiled.

"He was in a depression without you, Isabella," C.C. came up behind Ohgi and Tamaki jumped.

"I was not! I just...missed her like everyone else!"

"Tamaki, you massacred four Britannians in her name plus held three hostage for hours while she was getting her memories erased trying to find her," Ohgi said with an amused smile.

"Aw, Tamaki, you did all that for me?" Isabella's eyes shone and Tamaki's eye twitched.

"Eh-"

Isabella's innocent smile spread across her face (the one that could make anyone's knees go weak) and little anime tears glistened down her face.

"Tamaki-onii! You're always there for me!" Isabella practically tackled him with a hug and Tamaki felt both brotherly love and extreme embarrassment flood through him.

"If she hadn't said 'Tamaki-onii' to me, I would say I hated both of you," Tamaki snapped at C.C. and Ohgi who both became very interested in the stars overhead.

"So, what's the order of business now Zero?" Kallen asked and Zero crossed his arms.

"We're trying to keep an eye on the Lancelot pilot, Suzaku Kururugi. He's a huge threat to Isabella as well as the rest of us. He knows Isabella is a Black Knight and it won't be hard for him to make the connection to any of us," he said and Kallen nodded.

"Understood...so what are we going to do? We can't just watch and hope he stays away."

Zero uncrossed his arms and kept his eyes on Isabella, who was now embracing a slightly surprised C.C.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know."

**One Week Later...**

_Nunnally is Vice Roy now..._Isabella's thoughts wandered as she rode the train downtown to the mall, Rolo sitting beside her reading a book contently. _I can't remember the exact day that happened but as long as she's safe and healthy, I guess it's okay...but then again..._

Isabella shifted her weight to her right foot, her fingers curled over the metal bar above her head. Her eyes followed the huge television screen showing Princess Nunnally giving her speech, hoping to bring peace.

_With Nunny as Vice Roy, does that make her a threat to Lelouch? No, that's crazy. She's the reason Lelouch started the whole rebellion in the first place and Nunnally is the one he loves the most. He'd never hurt his sister...he'd never drop to that level. _

"Isabella-onee? Are you feeling okay?" Rolo asked and Isabella perked up.

"I'm sorry...just spacing out," she said and turned her gaze back out the window.

_Rolo doesn't know I have all my memories back...Lelouch never lost his memories when I did...I'm surprised he didn't do anything to Rolo...oh my God! I can't think like that! Lelouch must have found out about Nunnally as well otherwise he wouldn't be so together...but then...if Nunny is fighting for the same world Lelouch is, then why don't they just combine forces? Unless one plans on stepping down..._

Isabella sat down next to Rolo, who forced himself to turn back to his book, trying not to keep so much attention on his sister.

_But if Lelouch steps down, what will the rest of the Black Knights do? It's not like we can just be "Show's over! Let's go home!" No...that's impossible...but...that makes Nunny an obstacle...wait..._

Isabella finally was able to pull it together and she rested her chin on her fist.

_Nunnally isn't the obstacle here...Charles is! As long as he's around then neither Lelouch or Nunnally can restore full peace because...well he's an ass. There's no way to put it other than that. But Charles has a Geass in both eyes...he's much more powerful than I am and I can't just merely possess him and make him kill himself...that would be reckless because if I got caught then I would risk the rest of my friends, Lelouch and Nunnally especially. But what if I died afterward...? No, that would be pointless because everyone else would be convicted anyway. _

_Rolo has a Geass though...maybe I could use that...but that would endanger Rolo...I can't make Rolo a tool for my own goals. I won't use the people I love...even if he did in a way betray me but that was due to the fact he had been brainwashed by Britannia and was used so many times._

_"It's where I belong" _

Isabella closed her eyes and the train slowly stopped, making her sway.

"Onee-san? Are you sure you're alright? We can go back to Ashford if you want to," Rolo weaved his fingers through her hair and Isabella focused her distant green eyes on him.

"No, I promised to give you a fun day, so let's go," she said and followed him off the train.

"Where to first, Isabella-onee?"

"Anywhere, you can pick," Isabella smiled at him and Rolo gazed up at her as if someone letting him do something at his own will was new to him.

"It's lunch time, so, you want to go eat first?"

"Sounds good to me...I'm starving."

Rolo and Isabella found a Pizza Hut and ordered personal cheese pizzas with sodas when they had seated themselves near a window. To Isabella's satisfaction, the Hut wasn't crowded so it would be easy if either of them had to carry a private conversation without the risk of being overheard.

"Hey, Isabella-onee, there's something I need to ask you," Rolo broke the silence as Isabella sipped her Sprite and leaned back comfortably in the wooden chair.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Do you remember what happened to your brother, Michael?"

"Yes."

Rolo made a jerky gasping noise but Isabella's stare was blank as she continued to drink her soda.

"What-happened?"

"He ended up becoming a traitor, killed my parents and two of my best friends. He told me this in a manner of which he was proud of himself-the bastard-and then became a threat to the one I love the most. I didn't mean for his murder to happen but it was an adrenaline rush and I panicked. I'm not proud of killing him but if I didn't, I'd be just as responsible as he was had anymore innocent live be taken," Isabella said monotonically and Rolo's jaw dropped.

"I thought you got your memories..."

"I did but they came back. Cool, no?"

Rolo remained silent and Isabella's blank stare became icy.

"I can't say Kururugi was much help or has been much help in the war considering he turned his back on his friends and his own country but I have my own plans for him. He owes me his life," she continued on slowly and her voice low.

Rolo looked terrifyed for a handful of seconds and then seemed to relax somewhat after he convinced himself Isabella wasn't going to do anything to hurt him.

"I wanted to ask you something else too," the boy said carefully and Isabella bit into a slice of pizza.

"Go on, I'm not going to kill you, relax."

Rolo took a drink from his pop and then continued.

"I wanted to know what you would do if I asked if I could fight by you."

"Absolutely not. You're not getting into the war."

"I'm already in the war."

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm not going to let you risk your life for...well whatever. No, I am not going to let you do something like that."

"I want to fight for you and Lelouch though."

Isabella almost started choking on her pizza when the words came out of his mouth.

"I will not let you put your life in danger for someone like me!"

"Why not? I have more blood on my hands than you do on yours."

_He's probably right about that...but..._

"The Britannians were using you. It's not like you were raised with good morals."

"I know...but still...you ans Lelouch are the only ones that have ever given me that feeling of having a family. I've always been used but whenever I'm with Lelouch, and you especially, I feel like I can just be a regular human and I'm not just something people want to use," Rolo told her and Isabella felt her heart go out to him. "You're my big sister, Isabella."

"You little brat," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes, "you make me cry every time you say that to me."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to," Rolo apologized and Isabella lifted her head, her black hair hanging in her face.

"It's cool. I get emotional easily."

"I've noticed."

"Baka."

"Hey!"

"I love you, Rolo-chan."

Rolo's eyes went twice their size when she said that and she smiled.

"It's not like you didn't see that coming little brother."

"No, I didn't actually..."

"Well, let's get to the mall I guess. Unless you have something else in mind."

"No, that sounds fun!"

They finished thier pizzas and headed back outside in the direction of the mall.

"I'm glad we were able to get out today, it's so pretty out!" Isabella remarked and inhaled the crisp February air.

"Yeah, otherwise we would have been stuck at school not doing much," Rolo added and Isabella rested her hands behind her head.

A sudden wind started and Isabella dropped her hands at the roaring sound of a Knightmare overhead. Isabella latched her hand onto Rolo's shoulder but he pushed it off and then turned to her.

"I know what I'm doing," he said and then cut in front of her and sprinted away in the direction of the Knightmare.

"Wait, Rolo! Stop! Rolo!"

Isabella chased him, her stomach knotting when she came to the ghettos, and then lost sight of him.

"Not you too Rolo. I will not let you get hurt!"

Isabella reached inside her coat to the hidden pocket in her coat to pull out a small, silver pistol.

"This however, in a twisted way is convenient because of what I want to accomplish..."

Isabella slowly paced through the ghettos, ghosts moaning in her ears and the air turning bitter around her. She shivered, feeling exposed and defenseless, but she kept the pistol at her side, hidden in her side pocket. Isabella kept her eyes peeled for Rolo, who was nowhere to be found and then Isabella heard heavy, metal boots running in the distance.

"Lovely," she exhaled and made sure her Geass was prepared. Isabella slipped into a ruined building, the cracked walls and chipped stairs winding upwards and she followed the stairs towards the noise of the Britannian boots. "I need to know what's going on..."

"Terrorists, Kururugi said, terrorists with a bomb threat."

_Why always a bomb?_

"Also, that Liberata girl is still loose, we need to execute her ASAP," another solider said and Isabella readied her Geass and pistol.

"She's really powerful though...she has something called Geass."

Isabella's breath stopped and she listened more, wondering immensely who had told the soldiers about Geass.

"King Charles has that or so V.V. says to the Princess Cornelia-"

"You two," Suzaku's voice echoed through the room and Isabella kept her body pressed against the wall outside the doorway, safe from sight and eavesdropped more. "Where is she?"

"If you mean Liberata, we are searching for her now."

"When you find her, bring her to me, unharmed and alive," Suzaku ordered and his footsteps echoed away.

"Why?"

"Rumor has it, he's in love with her."

_Don't laugh...they're gossiping...try not to laugh..._

"Then why is he with us?"

"He's...I have no idea."

_Neither does anyone else! _

"Let's go, she's not here," the soldier said to his companion and they clomped out, leaving Isabella with new information.

_Who's V.V.? I know C.C. but V.V. is new...maybe C.C. knows...I need to ask...if V.V. is the one that gave Charles Geass then...that means there's another obstacle...this one immortal. Fun._

Isabella carefully stepped into the open area, following the faint, distant footsteps of the soldiers. She kept her gun still in her hand and her steps were quick and cat-like as she crossed the room.

_I wonder why Zero hasn't called with orders yet..._

"Stop right there."

_Oh great._

"Suzaku, don't even try to play hero," Isabella sighed and heard his gun cock.

"Don't move."

"Don't talk. You're annoying me."

Suzaku felt his blood begin to boil and Isabella kept her back to him, a smug smirk on her face.

"You really annoy me you know. One minute you're my best friend, the next you turn into some Britannian tool that only cares about his status," Isabella chuckled darkly and Suzaku approached her.

"Easy for a murderer to say."

"Hypocrite, you've gotten your hands as dirty as mine. Don't go acting like your the shit because you're not," Isabella snapped and faced him.

Suzaku opened his mouth then closed it, shaking his head.

"I never wanted to hurt you," he said and Isabella rolled her eyes.

"But you did anyway. You went behind my back and ratted your best friend and me out to our worst enemy not to mention you turned traitor to your own country. You're just a naive traitor that should have the life knocked out of him," she growled, her eyes becoming demonic flames. "You sicken me."

Suzaku didn't reply and kept a blank stare on her.

"What am I to you, Suzaku Kururugi?"

"What-?"

"Don't play coy because you'll only irritate me more. What am I to you?"

"You were everything to me! I loved you until you turned into a killer...your brother, several soldiers and Shirely."

"HOW DARE YOU KEEP ACCUSING ME OF HER DEATH! YOU SON OF A BITCH! BURN IN HELL!"

Isabella fired her pistol and Suzaku's ear piece shattered as she jumped into the air and swung her leg around. Suzaku blocked her and she landed in a cat like postion then pounced back to her feet, aiming several punches for his blank face. Suzaku managed to dodge Isabella's punches, shoving her aside, and she slapped him once across the face in one, swift motion before he could blink. Knowing they were going to be found if this continued, Suzaku grabbed Isabella's hand and pinned it against her sweaty back.

"You're going to be executed if anyone finds you," Suzaku breathed into her ear as he kept her pinned against him. Isabella hissed through her teeth and yanked herself free standing a few feet away from him, her pistol aimed at his chest.

"You've got a gun. Do it yourself if you're so great."

Suzaku blinked then took aim, the gun pointing right at her neck, and her heart pounded.

_Lelouch..._

"I can't," Suzaku said and the gun lowered. Isabella felt a wave of relief and Suzaku's eyes dropped thier gaze. "I can't after that one day of saving me."

"Oh, so you can hand me over to the king of all jackasses and not give a second thought to what I have done for you, but now you can't shoot me because of that? What the hell is with you? Are you on my side or not?"

Suzaku didn't answer and Isabella heard the pounding of metal boots against the crumbling building floor.

"You better get out of here before-!" Isabella started to say but the boots had sounded directly behind her and the rest was slow motion.

Isabella whipped around, her hair swishing with her and her mouth opened to let out a scream.

"For the murder of Michael Liberata-"

"No! Don't shoot-!"

The gunshot cut off Suzaku and fire burned through Isabella's rib cage as she fell onto her side. There was another blast and she gritted her teeth in shear pain as the bullet ripped through her stomach.

"Su-za-ku-" she coughed, crimson splattering onto the floor, and the shadow of Suzaku fought to get to her.

"ISABELLA! ISABELLA!"

"Suz-a-ku..."

_Everything is going black..._

"She got what she deserved," the soldier gruffed and yanked Suzaku away. He fought but the soldier whacked him over the head with his gun and he was dragged away, Isabella half dead on the floor.

**Flash to Lelouch...**

"Are you sure she's okay?" Lelouch asked C.C. landed his ship on the ground.

"I believe so, I left her back at Pizza Hut," Rolo answered over the speaker.

"That's always a pleasant place to be left," C.C. remarked, perking up and Lelouch put his hand over his eyes.

"I'm going in here to make sure no one got left behind, alright? I'll meet you back at the Academy," he said to Rolo over the speaker and C.C.

The witch took off and Lelouch (he's in street clothes...just an FYI) ran into the building, his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Come on, pick up Isabella," he muttered and came to her voice mail. "Damn it..."

He hung up and dialed again, still running...

_I have to call 911...Lelouch or someone...Lelouch...I hope you're safe..._

"Isabella where are you?"

_I didn't plan on dying like this...so much pain...these two bullet hurt worse than the rest...Lelouch...oh God...Lelouch...I love you so much..._

He kept running and searched the hallways, the feeling she was there growing more and more.

_I love you so much Lelouch...I don't know when it all happened but I guess I always was I just never admitted it to myself..._

"Isabella!"

_The fact that you're Zero only makes me love you even more..._

Lelouch took the staircase three stairs at a time, coming to another room where he saw a pool of crimson and ebony hair.

"Oh no..."

_You're my hero...Lelouch...you're my hero..._

"Oh no...Isabella!"

Lelouch kneeled down next to her, the crimson stained on her clothes and slowly seeping out onto the floor. Her eyes wer closed and her face was frozen in an expression of agonizing pain.

"Isabella, not you too! I just got you back...I can't lose you again!"

Lelouch removed his jacket and tried to use it as a tourniquet for her bullet wounds but her blood only drenched the jacket more. Hystarical, he dialed 911 and connected to the operator.

"A girl was shot-! Sh-she's bleeding to death!"

"The paramedics are on their way."

"Isabella...not you...not you too!" Lelouch sobbed and picked her up, laying her across his lap, the jacket still trying to masqurade as a tourniquet.

_Lelouch...I can't move...so much pain..._

Isabella felt tears slip through her closed eyelids and she groaned.

"Lelouch..."

Her eyes opened slowly and she tried to smile through the pulsing agony, her whole body shaking with the effort to circulate the oxygen through her body, eyes fighting to stay open.

"It's okay, I'm here," Lelouch coaxed, tears dripping onto her face.

"You know...I have...a tendency...to always get...shot..." Isabella tried to joke but Lelouch closed his eyes, his hand stroking her face. "Lelouch...you know...I love you...right?"

"Yes, and I love you too," he said and she raised a shaking hand to his face.

"When I first joined this war...I knew it would be a decision that would cause me...a ton of tribulation...but I don't regret it...because this war has made me realize...how much you mean to me...and finding out you're Zero...only made me...love you even more..."

"Isabella-"

"Lelou...I'll never stop fighting for you...I want you to be happy in this world...with Nunnally...because you deserve to have a happy, peaceful life...more than anyone...else. You've seen your loved ones die in front of you...your memories were tampered with...the whole world...was spying on you...acting as if you were something evil...but...you aren't...and when I almost lost you...waking up to see everyone I loved believing all of these lies...it just made me want to fight for you even more..."

Isabella's heart jolted excruciatingly and she gasped.

"Isabella, don't die! You can't die!"

"Fate...you know my saying about it...death is something no one can prevent..."

"Damn it Isabella! Don't give up! Don't die!" Lelouch's Geass flew into her eye but it didn't affect her. The outsides of her irises glowed red faintly but her life still slipped out of her the more time passed.

"It's okay...Lelouch...I'll never stop fighting for you...even if I'm not there physically..."

"ISABELLA! You can't die! Dear God, Isabella, live!"

The Geass activated again, the green irises still glowing a faint red, but failed to revive her. Isabella caressed his face as best she could, knowing he wouldn't be able to save her and her fingers touched his tears.

"I'll always...love you...when my memories were erased...even after...we both had to...start from scratch...I began to fall in love with you again...that's destiny...isn't it? True love or something? So...it's okay...right...? Even if something...as little as death...will separate us...temporarily...love will still find a way...isn't that how it goes...?"

"Isabella...don't leave me...! You can't die! I ORDER TO LIVE! DON'T DIE!"

"Lelouch..." Isabella's eyes began to close and sirens sounded outside, "no matter...what happens...or how many times we're both reincarnated...I'll always fall in love with you. You're the only one...I have ever truly..."

_I can't breath..._

"...loved..."

_Keep Lelouch safe..._

"...only one..."

_Shirley...Mother...I'm so scared..._

"Don't die...don't die!"

_I don't want to..._

The red Geass soared once again into Isabella's dazed, green eyes but her mind failed to be manipulated by the command. Lelouch gripped her hands and could only watch helplessly as Isabella smiled softly at him, his face becoming a mere blur in front of her and everthing began to fade to black.

"Isabella-!"

"...my hero...I love you...so much-"

"No...this isn't-! I'm not going to let you die! _ISABELLA!_"

_I'm sorry..._

Lelouch picked her up and sprinted down the stairs, sirens echoing off the wall and tears practically blinding him as her body fell limp.

**What would happen if I made Isabella die? Hm...there's a plot twist no one would want...(right?) Next chapter going to be uploaded...sometime soon. Reviews por favor! :D  
A/N I edited this chapter too...did I over do the ending of the chapter?**


	16. Vauge

**Thank you: DarkFlame Alchemist, 0208, brunettebookworm14, Invader Designia and lordmarik!! :D I give you chapter 16!! -crowd cheers- **

There was a blinding flash of white light and Isabella found herself standing in a misty area...white everywhere and the floor beneath her bare feet drifted about like solid clouds. She had no idea if she was dead or alive...the bullet wounds were gone as she guided her fingers over her ribs and stomach...and she saw a white dress hanging a few yards away from her. Interested, Isabella walked over to it, letting the skirt flutter down to her knees and the straps were soft and skinny against her shoulders. It was a warm, comfortable dress and Isabella sat down, the skirt leafing out around her.

"Where in the world am I?" she wondered aloud and there was a flash of green light.

"Isabella, long time no see, my angel," Astrid Liberata stepped forward, wearing a dress similar to Isabella's but a deep blue, like the ocean.

"Mom? Wait, I'm dead?!"

"No, you're just in the place between Heaven and Earth. You almost gave up back there," Astrid said and with a wave of her hand, the clouds spread, revealing a hospital room.

"There's me," Isabella mumbled, "my body at least."

"It's not over yet, Isabella," Astrid said and pointed to Lelouch. "Wow, he's gotten handsome...also...while you're here, you two better behave."

Isabella sweat dropped and pressed her lips together.

"Not till marriage, Mom."

"Good girl."

"I might get married young though..."

"ISABELLA!"

Isabella burst out laughing and lay-ed down on her stomach, watching the scene in the hospital room. Her body was laying in a bed, seven doctors around her and one holding a defibrillator over her heart. It took three doctors to hold Lelouch back from her, who was fighting to get to her side, and another two to pull him out of the room.

"I'm right here...Lelouch..." Isabella reached down and tried to touch him but her hand went through him.

"You can go back," Astrid said and Isabella retracted her hand back.

"Clear," one doctor said and the defibrillator zapped her unresponsive body.

"Mom, I want to be with you, Dad and Shirley as well as Ami and Scotty," Isabella said and stepped through the door of the room, the machine giving out a long beep, signaling no hert beat. Lelouch was sitting on a chair right across the door, his face soaked in tears and his hands clamped in front of him. Isabella reached out and glided her hand over his hair but he couldn't feel or see her.

"Are you sure you're ready, Isabella?" Astrid asked and Isabella shook her head.

"Tell Dad and Shirley I said hi and I love them. Let Scotty and Ami know too..."

Isabella stepped through the door again and stood over her body.

"I'll see you again sometime," Isabella told her mother, and she smiled.

"I love you, my angel. Don't ever give up on life, no matter what happens."

Astrid was gone and Isabella felt her spirit being yanked back into her body. She coughed several times, the doctors bolting back to her side.

"She's alive! She's responding!"

"Le--louch--" Isabella said through coughs and rubbed her eyes, "where--is--Lelouch?"

"He's fine...he's right outside," one doctor and stabbed a needle into her arm for the IV.

"Can you try to not kill me?" Isabella muttered and closed her eyes again.

"It's pain killer."

Isabella inhaled deeply, her heart beat steady, and fell asleep.

**Three Hours Later...**

_"Isabella," C.C. called and Isabella followed her voice, "Isabella." _

_"What is it C.C.?" _

_Isabella found her green haired friend and C.C. offered her a seat on a pew next to her. _

_"Where are we?" _

_"A church," C.C. said and Isabella seated herself next to the witch. _

_"Why are we here?" _

_"It's a premonition I sent to you. Pretty much foreshadowing your own life." _

_"What could you be foreshadowing--" _

_There was a splash of blinding colorful light and C.C. was gone. _

"Hey, she's waking up."

"Too bad Lelouch is asleep."

"Isa-bellaaa!"

"Would you stop?"

Isabella swallowed and opened her eyes, C.C. being the first person she saw.

"Welcome back," the witch greeted and Isabella gave her a smile.

"Hey C.C."

Isabella sat up, her stomach and ribs incredibly sore, and gathered her hair before flipping it over her shoulder.

"Tamaki, she's awake," Kallen stuck her head outside the door and Tamaki practically knocked her over when he burst into the room.

"Isabella, are you alright?!"

"Yes...whoa...you're all in street clothes..." Isabella observed Tamaki's white sweater and jeans and Kallen's red tank top with white jeans, C.C. being in her usual white combat suit and was sitting on the edge of Isabella's bed.

"Nice observation," Tamaki raised his eyes to the celeing and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Lelouch hasn't woken up yet," Kallen told her and Isabella directed her attention to Lelouch who had a chair pulled up beside the bed, head on his hands and was asleep next to her.

"He hasn't moved since the doctor said you were awake...or breathing at least," C.C. said and Isabella ran her fingers through his hair, a loving smile on her face.

"It took five doctors to get him out of here. He wouldn't leave your side," Tamaki mused and Isabella kept her hand on his head, her fingers laced with his brown waves.

"I can only imagine what he would do if you died," Kallen thought aloud, and Tamaki smirked.

"He'd massacre every single Britannian soldier and if anyone escaped, he'd lock them in a dungeon and torture them until they begged for death."

"And then torture them more," C.C. added and Isabella cringed.

"I certainly hope not. I wouldn't want Lelouch to resort to that level," she said and continued running her hand through his hair.

"I don't he wants to either but...love can do some brutal things to people," Tamaki shrugged and Kallen stood by the door.

"Tamaki, C.C., let's give them alone time," she said and Isabella flashed her a thankful smile.

"Have fun you two," Tamaki exhaled and strode out of the room, C.C. following him.

"Tamaki, don't be a pervert," Kallen snapped and slapped the back of his head.

"Would you quit with that?!"

The door closed and Isabella directed her attention to Lelouch, who was still asleep. Isabella felt a soft smile spreading across her face again and lightly pushed strands of hair out of his face, her fingers frigid against his warm skin. Lelouch uttered a sigh and turned his head before sitting up straight.

"Konichiwa," Isabella chirped and Lelouch rubbed his eye, smiling.

"I'm not going to lie, I about lost my mind a little bit ago," he told her and Isabella gave a girlish giggle.

"Well...I did die for a few minutes but then I came back."

"That's...freaky..."

Isabella rubbed his head, her fingers lacing with his hair and she brought her hand down to his cheek and Lelouch closed his eyes, turning his head towards her cool touch.

"I saw my mom," she said and Lelouch opened his eyes.

"Are you--?"

"No, I'm okay with it. She's exactly the same as she was when she was alive. It's okay. I thought it was neat," Isabella chimed and Lelouch sat next to her on the bed.

"I'm so glad you're alright," he whispered and envoloped her in his arms.

"I told you I wouldn't let something as little as death get in the way," she teased and Lelouch hugged her tighter, another smile on his face.

"If everyone had as much will power as you did..."

"Britannia would be impossible to defeat."

"True," Lelouch agreed and stroked her hair, Isabella snuggling closer to him.

"So, what are we going to do?"

Lelouch was quiet and hugged her a little tighter, avoiding the question.

"Lelouch?"

"I love you."

"What are you planning now?" Isabella sighed, not liking his distant voice.

He still didn't answer, making Isabella extremely uneasy.

**Midnight, Four Days after returning to Ashford...**

_Isabella trugded through the damp grass and weaved between trees as more rain seeped through her Black Knight uniform. The church came into view and Isabella's stomach knotted several times while turning in endless flips as she aproached the oak doors and raised her hand to the brass handle. She let herself inside, the warmth of the chaple embracing her as she eyed the room, her eyes coming upon the alter. C.C. was there, kneeling in front of the crucifix, her hands folded and head bowed. Isabella walked up to her, and C.C. finished her prayer before facing her. _

_"The time has come, Isabella." _

_The Knight nodded and there was a swirl of bright colors and the sound of shattering glass. The scene changed and Isabella found herself on the sidewalk surrounded by a sea of people all gazing out into the road. Isabella shoved passed the wall of humans and finally came near the front, where she followed everyone's gaze to the huge float like structure slowly driving down the street. _

_"He's gone crazy," a man whispered to his friend and the other man shushed him. _

_"If he hears you he'll--" _

_Isabella blinked and then saw a long blade plunge through the man standing at the top of the float. Her mouth opened and she let out a scream as he fell forward, a trail of scarlet following him. Isabella broke loose from the crowd and reached to where he had fallen, tears blinding her. The scene changed again and she was standing at the edge of a cliff, the serene ocean waves kissing the surface. She looked down at the waves, tears pushing their way out of her eyes, took a deep breath and then jumped head first towards the water. _

**Concious...**

Isabella felt her body shaking and cold sweat beaded on her face. She coughed and then jerked away, realizing she was sitting up and panting heavily. She thought her heart was going to burst through her chest as she wiped her forehead and pulled her knees towards her chest.

_Just a nightmare...just a nightmare..._

"Isabella, are you feeling alright?" Kallen asked from across the room and Isabella shook her head.

"I had a nightmare...it's okay...I'm fine," she assured her friend and Kallen inhaled.

"I've been having a lot of those too," the other Knight said and Isabella focused on her, or tried to through the thick darkness.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"Just visions of being prisoner and seeing people I love die," Kallen whispered and Isabella bit her lip.

"Same here."

"You don't think it means anything, do you?"

"It depends...how many times have you had the same or a similar nightmare?"

"They've been occuring almost nightly..." Kallen trailed off and Isabella rested her forehead on her knees.

"I wouldn't ignore them," she said quietly and Kallen ran her fingers through her deep red hair.

"What about you?"

"Every night now since I got back from the hospital. Before that they were once every few weeks," Isabella told her and Kallen laid back down.

"I hope they aren't--trying to show us the future or something," she prayed and Isabella couldn't respond as she too laid down and stared blankly at the celeing, remembering the preminition C.C. had sent to her in the hospital.

**The Next Morning...**

"Has anyone seen Lelouch?" Isabella asked as she walked into the Student Council room. Rivalz turned his attention from Milly to answer Isabella.

"No, I haven't seen him or Suzaku all morning," he answered and Isabella felt a pang of suspicion.

_What is Suzaku doing?_

"Isabella-onee," Rolo came up to her and she only had to make eye contact with him to understand what he was going to say.

"I'll be back later," Isabella told the remaining Student Council and hurried out of the room.

**In the Ghettos...**

"Rolo, what did Lelouch tell you he was doing?"

"He just said 'I'll be back' and then left. He didn't say," Rolo panted as he had to run to keep up with Isabella's brisk pace.

Isabella turned into an alley and felt relieved Kallen had left a Knightmare there for her.

"Rolo," Isabella tossed him the key to his own Knightmare, "find him. He's most likely with Suzaku and you know my trust level with him is not high."

"Got it," Rolo said and Isabella secured her earpiece in her left ear.

"Kallen, where is Lelouch?"

"I'm searching for him now," Kallen replied and Isabella climbed into her Knightmare.

"Is Suzaku with him?"

"I believe so. I'm keeping an eye out for Zero's ship as well as the Lancelot--oh great, our best friends."

"Wonderful, they make thing _so _much more fun," Isabella smirked and took off. "C.C., where are you?"

There was no answer and Isabella readied her forceshields incase she needed them as she flew.

"C.C.!"

Still no answer and Isabella scanned the area over her bird's eye view screen.

_My main priority is finding either Suzaku or Lelouch or both. If those two are alone together...I really don't trust Suzaku at this point in time. _

Isabella continued flying over the sky, searching through the screen and then felt her Knightmare jerk.

"What the--?!"

"Isabella, there are Britannian Knightmare's right behind you!" Kallen cried and Isabella growled.

"Damn it, why now?!"

Isabella swung the Knightmare around, firing the bullets and activated her protection shields.

"Why do they have to show up at the most inconvienient times?!"

The Britannian Knightmare aimed at her and spewed a lava like substance at her and she barely missed it, whipping her blade out and throwing it at the enemy. Isabella shot forth fire and managed to strike the opposing Knightmare in the arm and retracted back her blade, poiseing it threateningly. The Britannian fired bullets and Isabella felt her Knightmare shake as it got hit and she flew forward, the mechanical arm outstretched. It's steel fingers grew sharp and Isabella lunged forward, the finger penetrating through the chest.

"When I find out what you've done with Lelouch, I'll kill each and every one of you in the most painful way I can think of," Isabella hissed and threw the Knightmare into the water below them.

"Onee-san, I've found Brother!"

Isabella zoned into Rolo's voice and sped back towards the land.

"Where is he?!"

"He was over south, near the end of the ghettos...he said Nunnally was there and then he lost her!"

"Where is Suzaku?"

"I think he left. He was trying to find Nunnally as well."

"Thanks...I'm headed there now. Get to Lelouch and make sure he's alright. Is Nunnally alright?"

"I believe so."

"Good. I'm coming now," Isabella told him and steered her Knightmare south towards the edge of the ghettos, keeping her screen in front of her.

_If Lelouch was trying to get to Nunnally...then what could have happened? She's alright...I can feel it but still...something's going on...just...what?! _

Isabella reached the boundaries of the ghettos and notcied Zero's ship embedded in the trees of the woods. She landed and lowered herself to the ground, immideatly jogging upto the ship.

"Lelouch!"

"Get back in your Knightmare!" C.C. commanded and Isabella backed up when she heard the roaring of Knightmares overhead.

"Nunnally!" Isabella heard Lelouch's voice in the background and the ship began to fly back up into the air.

"Shit..."

In a flash, Isabella was back in her Knightmare and no sooner a Britannian landed in front of her.

"What are you low lives doing with Nunnally?!"

Isabella swung her sword and it clashed with the Britannian's, making her shake. Isabella reared around to the left, soaring up into the air and then firing her bullets.

_Whatever they are doing...Nunnally may be the one whose going to get hurt...I won't allow that to happen!_

"DAMN YOU!" Isabella cursed as the Britannian shot her Knightmare down and she crashed but regained what was left of control. Isabella lunged forward and aimed the blade for the middle of the Knightmare. Their blades crashed and the opposer forced her backwards just as a flash of blinding light erupted in the sky.

"_NUNNALLY!_"

Isabella regained control and the Britannians all left, Isabella speeding back to Lelouch's ship.

"I will not allow you bastards to cause him any more pain!"

Isabella reached the ship and jumped out of her Knightmare, gun in her hand, and sprinted on. She reached the sitting area where Rolo was on his phone and Lelouch had his head in his hands as he sat on the couch.

"Lelouch," Isabella approached him and laid a hand on his back. He didn't move or respond, and Isabella looked over at C.C. "What have they done with Nunnally?!"

"You know as much as I do."

"Alright...Big Brother is resting now...alright...bye."

Rolo hung up and Lelouch clenched his hands together.

"Where is she?" he asked through clenched teeth, "what have they done to my sister?!"

"Jeremiah is searching for her now, Nii-san--"

"Don't call me that damn it!" Lelouch sprang to his feet and Rolo back away.

"Nii--"

"Damn it, you honestly think you can hold the same title as Nunnally?! Do you honestly think you could replace her?!"

"Lelouch, calm down! This isn't Rolo's fault!" Isabella cried but Lelouch ignored her.

"You're an imposter! I never cared for you!"

"Nii-san..."

"Get out!"

"_Lelouch!" _

Isabella latched her hands onto his arm, hoping he wouldn't try to strike Rolo.

"GET OUT YOU IMPOSTER!"

Rolo ran out of the ship and Lelouch shoved Isabella off of him making her topple to the ground. Isabella fell on her side and Lelouch froze once he saw what he had done. She glared up at him, her green eyes burning into his and he reached down to help her back up.

"Isabella--I'm--"

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Rolo. He didn't do anything wrong and yet you went off on him like he _wanted_ this to happen. For all _you _know, Nunny is fine."

Isabella shoved his hand off of her and stood up herself.

"I'll be back. Pull yourself together," Isabella said and walked off the ship into the woods to find Rolo.

She walked a ways with no sign of the boy and she tried not to panic.

_What if he went back to Britannia..._

Isabella continued on, keeping her gun handy incase she would need it and then heard the snap of a twig.

"Oh, Isabella," Suzaku said and appeared in front of her, "you scared me."

Isabella felt rage boil inside her the longer she kept her eyes connected with his and she grinded her teeth together.

"You had something to do with this...you can't stay loyal to one side can you?!"

Isabella dropped her gun and swung her fist, punching him in the mouth.

"First you go and twist a knife in your friends' backs...just handing them over to the prime evil one that caused all of this in the first place and the nyou act as if you're on our side?!"

Isabella slapped his face and punched him in the stomach.

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

Suzaku back away from her and fell to one knee, his lip bleeding and Isabella glowered.

"You piss me off, you really do," she snapped and Suzaku kept his eyes down.

"Forgive me, Isabella..."

"Just like that!? No way! I'll never forgive you for what you've done!" Isabella clenched her fists so hard her nails pierced her palms, making them bleed.

_I feel so hyprocritical...I just got irritated with Lelouch about yelling at Rolo...well then again I have a reason to be pissed at Suzaku. I have many reasons._

"So what now?" she demanded and crossed her arms.

"What do you mean?"

"What are you and Lelouch planning? Or what are you plotting against him?"

"I'm not plotting against him," Suzaku said and Isabella scowled.

"If you're lying to me--"

"I promise you I'm not."

"Then what's going on?"

"I can't tell you," Suzaku said as he stood and Isabella took a deep breath before asking her next question.

"And why is that?"

"I just can't," Suzaku told her and then walked away from her.

"You should have just shot him," Rolo said and came out from behind a tree.

"I'm not killing anyone else close to me," she declared and Rolo walked up beside her.

"Understandable," he said and followed Isabella back to the ship.

_Lelouch...what are you planning to do?_

**Well, I'm asking the same thing. What is Lelouch planning? Reviews! **


	17. Freedom

**Here is chapter 17!! I think I might actually get done with the whole story by the end of the week...keep your fingers crossed!! XD Don't worry though, I'll write more. XD Enough of my yammering, Thank you: brunettebookworm14, Usagi323, 0208 and Cherry Obsessed! Hope you like it! :D **

"Rolo, you do know Lelouch didn't mean all those things he yelled at you, right?" Isabella asked meekly when she and her brother had returned to the ship. They were sitting in Isabella's room (she had claimed it XD) and Rolo gripped his crossed ankles.

"Of course, at least, I hope he didn't."

Isabella's eyes softened and she crossed her own legs on her bed.

"Come here, Rolo," she instructed gently and Rolo crawled into her lap like a small child. "I've never had a younger brother...but I always told myself if I was ever able to have a little brother, I would do this every time he was sad."

Isabella embraced Rolo, one hand on his head, the other around his shoulders and she rested her cheek on his hair. He rested his hands on her arm, feeling the same warmth and love that he had been deprived of when he was younger.

"Onee-san..."

Isabella hugged him tighter and he relaxed his head against her chest, her heart beat echoing through her shirt and into his ears. He began to feel sleepy after a few minutes, Isabella stroking his hair in a sisterly way, and humming a faint, soothing song. Rolo's eyes began to close and he leaned against Isabella more, falling into a comfortable sleep in her consoling arms.

"I love you, Onee-san," Rolo whispered through a yawn and Isabella smiled.

"I love you too, Rolo-otouto."

Rolo had a smile on his face as he fell asleep in her arms and Isabella laid him down on the bed, tucking him under the cozy covers.

"Sleep well, Rolo-chan," she whispered and caressed his forehead as if he really was her younger brother.

Isabella crept quietly out of the room and went back into the sitting area of the ship, where Lelouch was standing. He was by the window, looking out, back to her and hands folded behind him. Isabella figured she should show she had forgiven him for bursting earlier and walked up behind him, her arms snaking around his waist.

"Isabella?"

"Hm?"

Lelouch stopped as she rested her head between his shoulder blades.

"You've forgiven me?"

"Yup. It's not like you meant to do what you did. Nunnally almost died...I would have been freaking out as well if I were in your position."

"What do you mean 'almost'?"

"She's alive, Lelouch."

"You know this for sure?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I have no idea. I just know."

"I'm holding that against you."

"I would assume you'd do that but trust me, Nunnally's fine," Isabella assured him and Lelouch's body relaxed. "Now answer this for me, will you?"

"Depends on what you're asking."

Isabella gnawed on her lip and felt Lelouch's fingers intertwine with hers and he lowered their hands to his sides. Isabella still kept her head leaning on him comfortably and let his fingers delicately play with hers.

"I want to know what you're planning with Suzaku."

"I can't tell you that, Isabella."

"Why is that?"

Lelouch turned around and placed his hands on Isabella's shoulders.

"Don't you think you've dealt with enough misery and loss?" he asked and her eyes shone.

"Lelouch--"

He kissed her, cutting her off and Isabella let a tear slip through her closed eyes. She pulled him closer to her, arms around his waist and lips trembling just barely as his hands ran through her hair.

_Don't make me lose you too...I won't allow you to die! _

**Isabella No Kansou...(Kansou=Thoughts)**

I've always wondered since I was a child, do we choose to be evil? Do we choose to do hideous acts, such a murder, rape or theft? Is Evil a choice, or is it instilled in every human when we are born and tends to take over us, usually in the times we most want to keep it chained inside? Do we always want to cause another person pain when we do such an act or are we blinded because we think we're not doing anything wrong? Maybe we think we're doing it for justice or in the name of someone else because we love them...maybe it was the way we were raised as a child...or maybe it's just a way of trying to scream out for help because all we really want is love...? Do we commit sins just because we think we will be accepted by someone or a group, mistaking their using us for love? Humans are complex beings...we do things subconsciously and blindly...sometimes not even realizing we're doing something wrong until we see the pain and tears drenching the person's face. So, I'm asking you again, is being evil truly a choice?

**Back to the original story...**

"C.C. has been gone for a while," Kallen said and Isabella perked up.

"Come to think of it, it's been three hours. That's not like her unless she's in Pizza Hut."

"I'll call her," Kallen said and raised her cell phone to her ear.

Isabella waited for several minutes and Kallen closed her phone, letting out a sigh.

"She's not answering her phone."

Isabella stood up and locked herself in the bathroom to change back into her street clothes back.

"I'll be back," Isabella told her friend and with that, strode out of the room.

**C.C. no Kansou...**

_This isn't something I am looking forward to...Isabella has suffered enough and she's seen enough death. Still...we have a contract...I hope she forgives me...I honestly hope she does. I don't want to cause her any more heart ache...I don't want to anymore. I love her like a sister, she's one of the few that has ever given me the genuine feeling of acceptance and friendship. She has those traits of determination and strength I've always wanted more people to have...I admire her so much...I really do...can I do this to her? I know she'll use the power in a positive manner and she definitely won't abuse it. I can trust her to balance the power...but what about in the future when she won't be able to handle it anymore? Will she ever be able to have peace of mind? Immortality isn't something that is easy to pass onto another person...will she be able to do it before she losses all hope and will to live? _

C.C.'s phone viberated in her pocket and she touched it but didn't answer.

_Isabella..._

C.C. approached the alter, the stained glass window showing an angel with her pure white wings spread out, symbolizing protection, and knelt down before the crucifix on the alter. C.C. folded her delicate hands together, her green hair flowing around her and a tear slipping from her eye as she prayed for forgiveness.

_Isabella...I am so sorry...please don't hate me for this..._

**Flash Back to Isabella...**

Isabella walked quietly out of the room and towards the door, her black pony tail swishing back and forth as she walked.

"Isabella, where are you going?" Lelouch asked when he had spotted her and she froze.

"There's something I need to do," she told him and Lelouch felt his heart rate increase.

"You know, don't you?"

"I have a good idea of what might be going on...however...if you take your father's Code then it might be able to all--"

"Isabella."

She didn't face him but she raised her head more, keeping her eyes straight ahead. She forced tears back and felt her fingers twitch as she pressed her lips together.

"I love you, so much Isabella, but my mind is made up. You don't have to go through this," Lelouch told her, his voice seeming strangled as if he too was holding back sobs.

"I told you I would fight for you until the end."

"It's not the end, not for you. Don't waste the rest of your time on Earth dwelling on me."

"I'm not wasting time. I'm not giving up either, no matter what or who else I'm going to lose. I will never stop fighting for you Lelouch. You're the reason I joined this war and the reason I'm never going to give up."

Isabella inhaled deeply and then made her legs walk forward, feeling as if someone was slowly pounding a dagger through her chest. Lelouch could only stare after her, using every ounce of energy he had to just not burst at the seams.

**Half Hour Later...**

Isabella stopped in front of a Gothic styled church, the rain pounding harder down on her as she gazed up at the enormous, circle, stained glass window near the top of the church. She balled her fists, the rain making it hard to decipher if she was crying or not, and slowly stepped up the cement stairs, reaching the brass handle. She pulled the door open with feeble strength and let herself inside, the invisible angels embracing her with comforting wings. Isabella paused, her black hair dripping rain water and then lifted her head, her eyes leading her gaze to the alter.

"I thought you would be here soon," C.C. said and the chapel doors faintly squeaked shut.

"To be honest, I just found myself walking here. I was hoping you'd just be at Pizza Hut," Isabella told her green haired friend and C.C. stood up.

"I went there first," she said and Isabella gave a light giggle.

"C.C., what are you doing?"

The witch was in front of her now and Isabella stared at her blankly, her former, lively green eyes now dead. She seemed to lost all happy emotions, there was no life left inside of her with the knowledge she was now bearing. The world seemed to have abandoned her and she had lost all will to live, and C.C. could see that easily.

"I want to know if you're willing to finish our contract," C.C. asked, her silky voice cracking and Isabella felt her heart almost stop.

"So, I'm going to lose you too?" she asked, working hard to not sound sorry for herself.

"Isabella, don't think that way. You don't have to. Immortality has many down points to it...suffering pain beyond belief and having to live with the mental torture you'll live on while the rest of your loved ones slowly disappear in the flow of time...that endless cycle of pain, death and rebirth..." C.C. trailed off and without realizing it, her gold eyes became consumed with fear and sadness.

"C.C.!" Isabella placed a hand on the witch's shoulder and the memories fled through her mind.

_Rejection...slavery...so much torture...guillotine...being burned alive...stabbed to death...seeing so many people she loved die right in front of her...stop it! Stop hurting C.C.! She doesn't deserve it!...betrayal...Not C.C...she doesn't deserve this! STOP IT! Then having to live on...this is what the price of immortality is...isn't it? Watching the circle of life continue but you remain frozen...unchanging...the world still moving on as if it doesn't care...this is the price of Geass._

"I'll make it go away, C.C.," Isabella locked her arms around C.C., both of them sinking to the floor, Isabella's tears burning her face. "I'll make it go away...I'll make it all stop. You don't have to suffer anymore...I won't let you."

C.C. retracted back, her golden eyes shining and Isabella let her go.

"You're one of my best friends C.C., I don't want you to go through anymore agony. You don't deserve it," Isabella whispered, her sobs tearing at her throat as she swallowed them down.

"You've been the only one to be able to complete the contract with me..." C.C. said, her voice soft and she put her hand over her mouth, "thank you...so much...for giving me the freedom I've been craving for...for so long."

"That's what friends are for, right?" Isabella forced a smile through her tears and C.C. held out her hand.

Isabella took it, trembling all over, and C.C. gave her a truly grateful smile. A faint light began to spark at the contact of thier skin and it grew bigger, completly engulfing both of the girls' hands. A young wind pushed it's way out of the light and C.C. made eyes contact with Isabella one last time.

"You are a truly remarkable person, Isabella."

"I love you, C.C. You're like a sister to me..."

One last smile from her friend and thin lighting bolt shapes began to pulse out in all directions of the church. The light became bigger and brighter and C.C. closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face and a smile on her face as Isabella caught one last glimpse of her and was then shoved backwards by an invisible force. She was lifted several feet off the ground, her hair whipping around her and shooting back to it's former hip length, colorful ribbons of light flowing in and out of her, vivid colors of red, green, blue, violet, orange and pink as the whole church was flooded with golden light. Isabella had her eyes closed and her back arched gracefully, the Geass sign glimmering on her stomach as her shirt blew around in the wind coming from the light and across her forehead as her bangs rippled with the rest of her hair. Her eyes shot back open, becoming immune to the harsh light, and they shone with a new intensity. Slowly, the ribbons entered her body, one at a time anbd the light faded, leaving sparkles raining from the ceiling. Isabella felt her feet touch the marble floor, the Geass sign still glimmering on her forehead and she was panting, her body feeling super humanly strong and powerful.

"C.C.!" Isabella finally spotted the green haired girl laying at the foot of the alter, her silky locks spilled around her, eyes closed but a faint smile on her face. Her body looked so feeble and defensless and Isabella rushed to her side, picking the girl up delicatly as if she would shatter to pieces at the new immortal's touch. "C.C.!"

C.C.'s fading gold eyes opened as Isabella held her in her arms, and C.C. smiled at the sight of the shining red Geass now beginning to fade back into Isabella's body.

"Thank you...Isabella...for always being there...for me...you really are...one of...the truest friends...I have ever had..." C.C. whispered weakly and Isabella let her tears pour forth from her eyes.

"I will not abuse the new power you have given to me. I will use it as a benefit to human kind...only that...I promise you I will...in your honor," she said and hugged her friend closely.

"Thank...you...for my...freedom..." C.C. breathed and did her best to hug Isabella back.

"You deserve it. You're free now," Isabella cried and C.C. gave a light laugh and her hand dropped from Isabella's shoulder.

Isabella sensed C.C.'s spirit moving on to Heaven and there was the sound of shattering glass as C.C. exhaled her final breath.

"C.C.," Isabella whispered into the dead girl's shoulder, "you can rest now. I will continue on, in your name, using this power as a benefit to the world."

Unable to hold back any longer, Isabella hugged C.C.'s unresponsive body tightly before sobbing uncontrollably and inconsolably.

**T.T I tried to update last night but had to sleep. . I was going to make myself cry if I wrote anymore of this chapter. I thought in the series if Lelouch ever did C.C.'s code, she'd die immediately because...well think of how old she is...technically. o.O I used my imagination on how Isabella would gain immortality...it reminded me slightly of Sailor Moon (that was actually my inspiration, you know, when ever the chick goes "Moon Prism Power" or whatever? XD) Review por favor. Jya! **


	18. Geass

**Thank you: brunettebookworm14, Usagi323 and lordmarik! I appreciate everything you and every single reader/reviewer does to a degree no one can calculate!! Only 2 or 3 chapters left. D: Hope you like it! :D**

_The Geass is supposed to give one a life of solitude and loneliness...by giving Isabella a Geass, I completely changed her fate...I never intended on giving her one but when she stumbled that day, somehow, the power got transferred to her. She was always wondering why she never died from all the bullets wounds she obtained once she agreed to join the war...the Geass she gained apparently was not the only thing she had gotten that day. After receiving the Geass, Isabella was transferred a piece of my immortality...not a big piece but some making her able to revive more quickly and survive more than an average human could. I didn't figure that part out until the first time she was shot by her brother...I took one look at that wound and mentally how any other human would have died of blood loss because of the gaping hole, however, she recovered rapidly...then I knew...I knew she was the one that would be able to complete the contract...I didn't in any way try to use her for she was a genuine friend to me. She entertained me when she'd spaz out and when it came down to my weakness of pizza, she was always the one putting up with it without complaint even if it annoyed her. I loved her...she was a sister to me and I wish I could have been able to live as a mortal by her side. Isabella Liberata, you must live on...continue the legacy of Zero when no one can...be the hero everyone else needs...you've already saved so many with your kind heart. Please continue to save the world with your compassion and loving nature. The world needs someone like you._

"I will not give up...I will not give up," Isabella raised her head, ribbons of tears still flowing down her cheeks and her black bangs hung in her face, making shadows appear on it.

Isabella stood, C.C.'s body in her arms bridal style and she slowly walked out of the sanctuary of the church back into the cold, unfeeling mansion.

**Flash to Kallen...**

Kallen sat up in her bed, fully alert and her heart pounding.

"What is this...?"

She turned around to look out the window, the sheet of rain almost blocking the full moon and Kallen put her hand over her heart.

"C.C....Isabella..."

Kallen closed her eyes and let a tears drip down.

"I'm so sorry this had to happen."

**Flash back to Isabella...**

She stood at C.C.'s grave, a cross made of sticks and woven flower stems marking the spot where her body was buried. Isabella let her tears mix with the rain on her face and knelt down before the cross, saying a mental prayer.

"I'll never give up...I'll use my power...right now...to help Lelouch accomplish his goal."

Isabella stood off the muddy ground and began walking away, her soaking wet hair still swaying as she strode away.

"If you have an obstacle...get rid of it..." Isabella muttered and set out to find the castle that she never wanted to return to.

**Hours later...**

"Why...why him too?!" she cried and held his lifeless body, "Rolo! Why you too!?"

Isabella gripped his shirt tightly and let out the most agonized, heart shattering scream she could muster.

_It's not fair...it's not fair! My little brother...why Rolo too?! WHY?! _

**I'm really enjoying making this confusing...(Side note: As Isabella gained immortality, Rolo was doing this...) **

"I won't let her hurt anymore," Rolo told himself and kept Isabella's gun at his side as he walked himself to the palace of King Charles. "He's nothing but another trouble for her and Lelouch...I vowed to help them both...if this is what I have to do then so be it...even if I lose my life!"

Rolo snuck in the door, his body soaked with rain water, and squeezed through the thin crack he had made with the doors. His heart throbbed in his chest as he carefully made his way through the winding halls, trying to find the man Lelouch and Isabella both despised so much. He kept the gun prepared at his side and his Geass glimmered, ready in case he would need it.

_This is for Brother and Isabella-onee! I will do whatever it takes to help them...I will not let them be stopped from achieveing their goals! _

"I see you have returned," a silvery voice observed and Rolo whipped the gun around, firing it, making a small child with blond hair as long as his body somersault backwards.

"You're an obsticle for Isabella-onee and Brother," Rolo snapped at V.V. as the immortal stood to his stubby legs, looking irritably at the bullet wound in his chest.

"I gave you that Geass. I thought you were trying to help Britannia."

"No, you have stolen everything from me and you won't take Isabella-onee or Brother! You won't hurt them anymore either!" Rolo declared, his gun pointing at V.V. again.

The blond child smiled, a shiver running up and down Rolo's spine as a second pair of footsteps echoed behind him.

"Is there something wrong, Big Brother?" Charles asked and V.V. nodded.

"Yes, this boy is getting in the way of your plans."

Charles smirked and Rolo spun around, firing the gun until the bullets were almost out just as Charles swung his hand which connected with Rolo's head. The boy was knocked off his feet, flying across the room and cracking his head on a pillar. Rolo gasped in pain as a crimson pool surrounded Charles's now dead corpse and thick trails of blood raced down into Rolo's face and off the back of his head.

"Charles..." V.V.'s eyes were wide at the sight of his dead brother, and he picked up the gun lying on the ground. "You will not get away with this." V.V. aimed the gun at Rolo, shooting it but Rolo managed to bend out of the way, the bullet whizzing passed his arm.

"Isa--bella--onee--!"

"She can go die as well," V.V. spat and came closer, Rolo's vision blurred by tears and blood.

"Le--louch--"

V.V. fired again, striking Rolo in the arm and the young fighter cried out in agony.

"You should die right along with them...as the scum you are," V.V. hissed and fired again, the bullet ripping apart the skin and tissues in Rolo's hip.

Rolo yelled out again and the gun clattered to the ground, V.V. gone from sight. Rolo was consumed by pain and he gave into the nagging blackness overcoming him.

"Isa...Lelou..."

He fell to the floor, blood surrounding him and the dark, ominous shadows being his only mourners.

**This is Isabella discovering him...I hate V.V. and Charles. I want to beat them both to squiggly pulps. **

Isabella felt the Geass on her forehead grow warm and she felt as if her side was bleeding.

_What the...? _

A vision of Rolo holding his side and bathed in his own blood flashed before her eyes.

"Rolo!"

Isabella sprinted towards the castle she never wanted to return to but had to in order to save her little brother.

"Rolo...Rolo...not you too! Not my little brother..."

The memories of him replayed in her mind...meeting him for the first time...hugging him...going out with him for a fun day every so often...finally being able to act as the older sister like she had always wanted to do...he meant so much to her...he was her family...if he passed away, her world would be more shattered than it already was. She wouldn't be able losing him...she loved him...Rolo was only a child in her eyes...he couldn't just die like that...not Rolo...not little Rolo...

"Rolo! _Rolo_!"

Isabella was hysterical as she reached the forbidden palace, her chest aching. She ripped the doors open with superhuman strength and weaved through the twisting halls, the shadows guiding her to Rolo.

_This way..._they pointed and Isabella followed them..._he's here..._

"ROLO!" Isabella found him in a blood bath and had him in her arms before she could even blink again. "Rolo, why you!?" Rolo!"

"Onee...he...was an...obstacle...I had...to get...rid or...for...you...and...Brother..." he breathed and Isabella kissed his forehead.

"You killed Charles...Rolo, I love you little brother! You mean so much for me! I didn't want you to die! Not because of me! Rolo!"

A small smile spread across the boy's pale lips and his eyes remained shut.

"I...love...you...and Brother...so much...I was...not a tool...to you...you made me feel...human..."

Isabella gave his cheek a kiss and she held him like she had always done so many times when he was sad.

"You...were...the...first one...with all of...your...memories...to accept...me..."

"I couldn't help it, I love you. You're my brother Rolo! You're my family, I love you Rolo-chan!" Isabella sobbed and Rolo's body became weaker.

"I'm...so glad...I'm not...just a tool...to everyone...you showed me...what it's like to have...a...fam...ily..."

Isabella hugged him as she felt the horrifying limpness of his small body in her arms. She cried into his shoulder, each cry coming out as a gasp and she finally she had her arms completely enveloping him and let out a cry that held every ounce of the pain caused by her mental torment.

**Two Weeks Later...**

The sun shone but it still felt as dark as midnight. The day was warm and cloudless, but she still felt as if acid rain was penetrating her skin. Lelouch had become emperor, as he had planned, and was no longer at Ashford, Rolo was dead and Isabella stood at the foot of Shirley's grave, incapable of doing anything but just staring at her name.

"I don't know what to do now," Isabella told her and tears shone down her face, "C.C. is gone, my little brother is dead and Lelouch is...I don't even know. I wish you were here...your presence would help me bare of all this...but you're not...so..."

Isabella sank down to her knees, hands covering her face and couldn't help but to start crying. She had broken...almost every person she loved she had lost...her parents...Rolo...Shirley...Ami...Scotty...C.C....Michael...and Nina who she hadn't seen for almost a year and a half. Isabella wanted nothing more to just die along with them all...Lelouch was going to follow her shortly after wasn't he? Her reason for living was going to be erased from exsistance...all the world's hatred placed on him after he had worked so hard to make peace...it wasn't right...why did Lelouch have to lose his life now?

"Isabella?" Rivalz knelt down next to her and she uncovered her face.

"Hey Rivalz."

"You've crying out here for almost an hour. We can't take it anymore; come back inside," he told her gently and Isabella felt Milly's hand rest on her shoulder.

"Also, you and Kallen got a call from Lelou--I mean the Imperial Palace asking to meet Lelou--I mean the Emperor there. He wants to talk to you," the blond said and Isabella wiped her eyes.

"Just call him Lelouch or Lulu or whatever your pet name is for him. He's still one of us," Isabella said angrily and Milly lowered her hand.

"Gomen...I can only imagine what's running through your head now. You looked like you were going to burst at graduation..." Milly trailed off and Isabella felt more tears threaten to leak out of her eyes.

"I can't believe how much everything has changed," she said and Rivalz gave her a warm hug.

"Neither can we...but if anything goes wrong, we'll be close by," he told her and Isabella clung to him.

"Thank you, for being there for me," she said to them both and Milly joined the hug, praying with everything she had that by some miracle, everything would just go back to normal.

**That Evening...**

"You don't have to do this, Isabella, it's killing you," Kallen lowered her kind blue eyes to meet Isabella's but the immortal said nothing. "Isabella?"

"I just want to be with him while I can," Isabella said and Kallen's eyebrows cocked.

"What?"

"Nothing," Isabella stopped herself and then finally let her eyes gaze upon the extraordinary palace in front of her.

The palace was an enormous ivory building surrounded by gardens and had an Arabian style to it. Magnificent pine trees were vibrant against the against the bushes of red, yellow and pink roses, white lilies and orange tiger lilies. Isabella gripped her battered suitcase tightly the same way she had done the first time she had stepped out of the Albern house with Lelouch.

_Our first kiss...the same day I started falliing in love with him...or began to realize it more..._

Isabella felt her throat go dry as she approached the magnificent palace doors with Kallen, her heart feeling as if it would burst through her chest.

"Don't give up...I can't give up..." Isabella told herself.

_You can't give up on life...but what if life gives up on you...? _

The two girls reached the doors and they opened slowly, revealing two guards striding up to them.

"His Majesty Lelouch vi Britannia-(Isabella cringed at this)-will be with you shortly. I'll show you to your room," the first said and looked directly at Isabella, the other assisting Kallen with her bags.

"What is he planning?!" Kallen felt a surge of rage and Isabella snapped her cold eyes over to her.

"Keep your temper, Kallen," she ordered and Kallen reluctantly obeyed as the guard with her suitcase kept a leery eye on her.

The two girls were lead through the main hallway, Isabella letting herself to gaze up at the crystal chandelier hanging beautifully from the golden celling.

_This feels like too much...it's not Lelouch...this isn't him..._

Isabella dared to let her eyes wander to the portraits lining the halls on either side of the Black Knights, one of them being a painting of a ten year old Lelouch standing with his mother, Lady Marianne and a healthy Nunnally, not blind or crippled.

_I knew Lelouch was a prince to begin with...I guess I should have seen this coming but still..._

Isabella caught sight of another portrait, this one smaller than the rest but it managed to capture her eyes. It was in an oval frame, her and Lelouch inside both smiling without a care in the world and hand their hands on each others hands. The painting had originally been a picture, Isabella had it in her scrapbook, and she remembered how she and Lelouch had been playing on the lawn when Lady Marianne had asked to get a photo of them.

_"You both are so adorable!" _

_The camera flashed and Isabella rubbed her eyes. _

_"Hey, let's go to the stables," Lelouch suggested and Isabella perked up. _

_"I might beat you in a horse race this time!" _

_"I doubt it." _

_"You are so full of yourself!" _

_Lelouch smiled and stuck out his tongue as she pretended to be offended and chased him up to the stables. _

Isabella felt her knees go weak as she tore her eyes away from the picture and her mind away from the memory.

_I can't do this...I can't keep hoping things will change because they won't. This is reality not a fantasy. No matter how much I want to, I can't change anything...what's going to happen has already been set in stone. _

Isabella forced herself up the stairs, following Kallen and the guards, her mind whirling with memories that would soon turn to nightmares. When the four of them had reached the top of the staircase, she and Kallen were lead in opposite directions down the hall to their rooms.

"Here you are miss, I hope you are comfortable," the gaurd said when he had opened the oak door for her and Isabella nodded.

"Thank you very much," she told him and he left her to unpack.

Isabella clicked the door shut, her eyes welling up with fire hot tears and set her suitcase down on her bed. She didn't bother to half heartily admire the room and sat down next to her luggage, pulling out her sacred scrapbook and cradled it in her arms as if it were her child. New pictures with Shirley, Nina, Milly, Rivalz, Suzaku, Rolo and Lelouch were inside it, overloading every page because Isabella had never been able to say one picture with her friends was a bad one. They were all she had now, and she fished another pack out, this time pictures of her with Tamaki, Kallen, C.C., Nunnally and a few odd paper clippings of Zero. Isabella felt her finger brush across the glossy front of one of the photos and removed it from the packet. Her heart jolted when she looked at it...the photo included her, Kallen, Lelouch, Shirley, Rivalz, Milly, Rolo, Suzaku and she could see C.C. in the background as well, none of the others noticing her. Isabella pressed it against her chest, imagining the places where Nunnally, Tamaki, C.C., and Nina would be, making it the perfect picture. The exhaustion of keeping her sobs locked away inside of her became too much and she finally let them erupt silently out of her.

"Isabella..." she heard a voice say quietly outside her door and she wiped her eyes hurriedly to open the door. With the photo still over her heart, Isabella opened the door to meet the white robes and starry, violet eyes of Lelouch vi Britannia.

**Wow, this took longer than I thought it would. School stuff kept me away...but thankfully I had a snow day today!! (If any of you guys live in South Carolina or anywhere down south, you are so damn lucky you don't have to put up with 0 degree weather!!) But, I am stuck in Ohio for the next two years till colledge...then I can go somewhere warm to graduate. (I'm hoping somewhere in one of the Carolinas or Virginas. Love it down in that area!! :D) Alright, next chapter is coming up soon! :D I'll post with few reviews because I'm assuming you're in school unless you too have insane amounts of snow in you area. :D Love you guys and I appreciate how you're all supporting my story. It would be nowhere without you guys and I am so grateful for you!! Thank you so much!! ^-^**


	19. Forgive Me

**Thank you: Invader Designia!! Also, I read your fan fiction and it is EPICALLY AWESOME!! EVERYONE GO READ IT OR I WILL USE MY GEASS OF FATEFUL DOOM AGAINST YOU! (Tis called "The Knight of Four) WAIT! READ AND REVIEW FOR ME FIRST!! -chases desperatly after everyone and drags them back- :D**

_The lily...a symbol of puritiy and innocence...the flower ordained by God...what is the price of a lily? What does it take to get that flawless beauty and innocence...that favoring of God? What does it take to have the pure white petals and sweet scent? What is the price of a lily? _

Isabella stood at the foot of a red rose bush, her pale finger gliding over the silk petals of a rose and she didn't dare remove it off its roots. Her mind had been wandering for the past half hour, and she had vaugley noticed she had been spending most of time in the gardens, surrounded by the viberante roses, lillies and even lotus flowers grew in the lake near the back of the caslte. Isabella kept her rose pendant secure around her neck with Shirley's necklace as well, the flowers always reminding her of the perky red head.

"Shirley...what would you do?" Isabella asked and touched the Lotus necklace. "I feel so lost...Lelouch randomly disappears some days and I'm left wondering why I was even welcomed into the palace in the first place. I know he loves me, but...I don't know what's going on...I know he's planning his own death...that's it. I'm so confused."

Isabella sighed heavily, tears not coming this time, and heard a light whirring behind her.

"Hi Isabella," Nunnally's voice said and Isabella felt her body freeze.

_How do I treat Nunnally now? _

Isabella turned around and bowed deeply, her eyes remaining in the distant, longing expression.

"Hello, your Highness," she said and Nunnally shifted uncomfortably.

"I like it better when you call me Nunnally," the little girl told her softly and Isabella looked her in the eyes.

"Nunna-you're not blind anymore...how?!" Isabella approached her wheelchair, her violet eyes gazing up into the green.

"I think Nii-san used his Geass on me to heal my blindness."

"Lelouch..." Isabella was lost of words and Nunnally lowered her head.

"Eight years I've been blind, then I get my sight back and I see--murderers."

She wasn't trying to scold or critizie and Isabella knew it. She was only saying her point of view the way she had been raised to believe. Even so, Isabella thought it would have been better if Nunnally banished her from the palace.

"Nunnally--"

"You were aiding Zero in the war and you have a Geass too. You used it to kill didn't you? My brother was Zero...the murderer...now I don't know what he is. I thought you were going to help me though Isabella, I thought you would help me bring peace."

"Nunnally!" Isabella dropped to her knees and had her hands lightly on either side of the princess's face.

"Were you only trying to selfishly avenge your parents? Were you fighting merely because you wanted to take your anger out on someone?" Nunnally asked and Isabella was unable to keep her tears back.

"No," she held Nunnally's hands with hers and her head was on Nunnally's lap. "I was fighting because I wanted a world where you and Lelouch could live happily. You're right though, I wanted to avenge my parents...I wanted to make Shirley's killer pay for what he had done...and I fought for Scotty and Ami...all of them...they all died...then my goal had gotten to the point where I got Rolo killed...he died for my sake...trying to help me...C.C. gave me her immortality and she's gone as well...I've spilled so much blood in this war I deserve every ounce of pain I have gone through...I murdered my own brother! I got innocent people killed...you're right...I am a murderer..."

Nunnally took one of her hands out from Isabella's head and stroked her black hair.

"Forgive me, Nunnally..." Isabella begged and the princess felt a wave of compassion.

"We aren't finished yet, Isabella. I didn't want to break you like this and I'm sorry," she said and Isabella made herself stop crying. "However, I want you to join me."

Isabella raised her head and looked up into Nunnally's smiling face.

"I want you, Isabella Liberata, to join me in my own fight for freedom. I know it sounds like a wild fantasy, but I want to, little by little, give the Japanese back thier freedom without bloodshed," Nunnally said and held her delicate hand up.

"I will help you accomplish this," Isabella said and took her hand, making it a vow.

**Three Days Later...**

"Kallen," Isabella knocked on her friends door but there was no answer. "Kallen, come on, we have to go!"

There was still no answer and Isabella growled under her breath.

"I'll go on my own then," she snapped and turned on her heels, almost running into Lelouch. "Oh...your Majesty--"

"Kallen's not here, she left already," Lelouch cut her off, his voice heavy with emotion.

"I see, thank you," Isabella said and bowed. She started away, but Lelouch grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back into his arms.

"Forgive me, Isabella," he said, his forhead on her shoulder and Isabella felt her hands beginning to shake. "I have put you through so much...you've watched every single person you had loved die...I yanked you into this war...you're like this because of me."

"Don't say that, I wanted to fight with Zero."

Lelouch's arms tightened around her and she raised her hand to run her fingers through his hair.

"It all would have happened anyway...I would rather be there for the ones I love when they die rather than having to hear about it."

Lelouch let go of her and Isabella began walking away again.

"I have to meet the Council. I'll be back in a little while," she said quietly and Lelouch watched her walk down the stairs and disappear out the door.

**At the Council Meeting...**

"I don't care what he's planning, he has betrayed Japan!" Kallen raged and slammed her fist down on the table. Tamaki and Ohgi kept their hands folded over their mouths and Kallen felt her nails begin to puncuter the fragile skin in her palm.

"You know, I think Isabella would be the one able to explain what's on," Lloyd voiced from across the room and his assistant, Cecile nodded her head in agreement.

"She and Suzaku would both know since thier the ones that have known him since they were kids," she added and Lloyd pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"However when we spoke with Kururugi, he wasn't sure if even Isabella knew," he remined her and Cecile slicked a strand of dark blue behind her ear.

"I wouldn't find it surprising if Lelouch left Isabella out of the equation this time," Princess Cornelia said from the head of the table her blue eyes sharp.

"What makes you say that?" Tamaki demanded and she folded her hands on the table.

"Isabella is the one person Lelouch cares most about next to Nunnally. If he hasn't told Nunnally what he's up to, I'm doubting he's going to mutter a word about it to Isabella."

"As far as we all know he could be planning to really hurt her," Ohgi said and it was Tamaki's turn to slam his hands down on the table.

"Lelouch would never do that to her! Listen you, Lelouch and Isabella have more love for each other than anyone else I know--"

"How would you know this for sure? As Zero, Lelouch killed numerous people without a second thought and pulled her into all of this," Cornelia snapped, "he killed his own siblings!"

"I know he'd never do anything to Isabella. Kallen, you're one of thier best friends, you would know!" Tamaki cried desperatly and Kallen seated herself once again.

"I know Isabella would do anything to protect him, but I'm losing some faith in Lelouch," she admitted and the door slide open.

"I wouldn't make Isabella look like a flawless prescence if I were you though," V.V. partly sang as he entered the room and Tamaki drew out his gun, firing it and striking the boy through the heart.

"Don't you go and talk trash about my girl Isabella," he snarled and Ohgi was on his feet.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"I am not going to sit here and put up with people talking shit about Isabella."

"What is she to you, Tamaki?" the merciless princess snapped and Tamaki slide his gun back into his gun pouch.

"She's my sister."

"How touching," V.V. said and stood up, blood seeping through his clothes but it didn't seem to affect him.

"What the--?!" Tamaki was bewildered and Kallen looked terrifyed and very grossed out.

"It's so touching what siblings would do for each other," V.V. continued and a smirk curled itself over his lips.

"So you're the one that assassinated Rolo?" Isabella's voice came from the shadows diagonal from the table.

"He killed my younger brother, what was I supposed to do?" V.V. taunted and Isabella stepped out into the dim light, her red Geass glowing.

"Charles was the very exsistance everyone that died in this war tied back to. He's responsible for thousands to millions of deaths, my best friends and family included," Isabella said coldly but quietly and took a step towards him. Her arms were crossed and everyone was dead silent, observing the two immortals.

"You have C.C.'s Code now, don't you, Miss Liberata?" V.V. continued on and Isabella stopped in her tracks, not intimidated by him, but to keep herself from lunging her body at him.

"Yes," she answered in an icy voice and V.V. cocked his eyebrows the dispicable smirk still curled on his lips.

"How many death are you responsible for? Let's see shall we..."

Isabella glared intensley at him as he paused.

"Michael Liberata, Scotty Young, Ami Kanagawa," Isabella's face burned, "your parents, C.C., Rolo Lamperouge and Shirley Fennette--"

Isabella pounced with one swift movment and her hands locked around V.V.'s neck. She knocked him to the floor, her eyes like ice daggers, and pounded his head numerous times against the marble floor.

"You-son-of-a-bitch-" Isabella snarled through each growl, "you-killed-Rolo-and-my-brother-murdered-my-parents-Shirely-and-Scotty. How-dare-you-accuse-me-of-being-the-one-that-spilled-thier-blood!" Isabella gave him one finally crash against the floor, this one being so hard blood trickled down his face.

"Isabella! Control yourself!" Tamaki cried and pried her off the other immortal.

"You killed my little brother, you killed Rolo!" Isabella screamed and it took Tamaki and Kallen's efforts to keep her back.

"He murdered my younger brother as well. I was merely avenging my family," V.V. said coolly and Isabella clenched her teeth together.

"You took him from me...you took my brother..."

"Ironic isn't it though...you don't hesitate to shoot your real brother but you defend a little murderer than was a mindless killer."

"Because the Empire used him as only a tool! HE WAS A TOOL! HE WAS USED HIS ENTIRE LIFE!" Isabella yelled and Cornelia rose to her feet.

"Isabella, you need to leave," she ordered and Isabella glowered.

"You son of a bitch."

"Isabella, go back to the palace," Cornelia ordered again and Isabella effortlessly freed herself from Tamaki's and Kallen's grasps.

"I'll make you pay for what you've done to Rolo," Isabella hissed and left before she was driven to strangle anyone else.

**That Evening...**

Isabella sat on her bed again, her elbows on her knees and head bowed. She wasn't sure of what she was going to do next...her life had just become something she took as it came. She had come to the point to where she woke up every morning, expecting someone to come and tell her Lelouch was gone. Isabella hardly saw him, only cathing glimpses of him in the garden with Nunnally or aimlessly walking around the long hallways and each time she saw him, she had to turn away from his sight. Isabella's mind was still processing the fact he was the Emperor of the empire he despised so much and even though she knew he was planning something, the whole truth was vauge to her.

Isabella reached under her bed and slid her scrapbook out onto the floor. Picking it up, Isabella flipped through the pages the colorful pictures of her early childhood up to her graduation smmiling at her. It seemed like an etermity ago she had been the carefree child running in the green pastures of Japan, Lelouch and Suzaku at her side without a care in the world. Eight years had passed but it felt more like eight hundred, the agony she had tried to push aside for so long lengthening each day she lived.

"I won't stop...I won't give up..." Isabella told herself, "I won't cry...I will keep pushing forward...I won't break to the point where I can't get up."

There was a light knock on the door and Isabella set her scrapbook aside to open the door.

"I need to talk with you," Lelouch said once she had opened the door and she let him in.

"I've given up on trying to pry answers from you," Isabella told him and clicked the door closed.

"This is the first time I've ever heard you say 'I give up'," Lelouch said and Isabella leaned against her door.

"This is the only time you'll hear me say it. I know I won't get any answers from you, so there is no point in asking."

"True."

"But I know that I'm going to lose you. What I can't figure out is why you'd kill yourself...let alone become emperor. Some days I think I know then the answer slips through my fingers like water. Everything is vauge, fogged...and it's driving me insane," she said and Lelouch sat down on her bed.

"Everything I've done up until now has been for Nunnally's sake as well as yours. However, it's become clear to me, I can't keep treating you both so special anymore..."

Isabella sat down behind him, her back leaning against his and her hand found his.

"I never wanted you to treat me special Lelouch. I just want you to have a world where you and Nunnally can live peacefully," she soothed and Lelouch leaned into her too. "You're the most important person in my life as well as Nunnally's. If something were to ever happen to you...what would Nunny do?"

Lelouch couldn't answer and Isabella slowly stood up to step in front of him.

"But no matter what else happens, Lelouch," she knelt down and rested his head on her chest, her hands stroking his hair, "I'm always and eternally on your side. I fight and live for you."

Lelouch raised his hands to her shoulders, his eyes closing and she kissed the top of his head.

"No matter what happens or who else comes into my life, I'll never be able to love anyone like I love you," Isabella told him and his fingers tightened on her shirt.

"You're immortal now. I don't want you to think you can only fall for one person."

"Immortality means nothing to me. Yes, it'll be useful now in war, but I took it merely because I wanted to help C.C. Lelouch, no man will be able to do what you have done for me," Isabella told him and kissed him again.

_The only one I have ever truly loved...Lelouch..._

They both had fallen asleep on Isabella's bed, Lelouch having one arm around her waist and the other tucked under his head. Isabella was snuggling close to him, her hands on his chest as he laid on his side.

_Lelouch...I'll never love anyone the way I love you..._

**Am I making this too sappy? I was wondering that as I typed. Also, I wonder if Isabella cries too much...sometimes I feel like she does...then again she watches the ones she loves die right in front of her so it's not like she has a good reason. XD I hoped you liked it and if there is any last minute ideas you'd like to throw at me (preferrably Lelouch/Isabella moments...I am out of ideas for them except for like...two or three! D:) I will credit you for the ideas! Reviews please! :D NOW you can go read Invader Designia's fan fiction of epic awesomeness. XD LOL! And give her story many reivews or else!! -twitch- **


	20. My Immortal

**Alright, I think only two more chapters and then the story will come to an end. I hate dragging on and adding fillers. Unless it's for a humorous effect. XD Okee Dokey, my thank yous go to: brunettebookworm14 and Shoko-chan!! :D I give you Chapter 20: (This is, so far, the longest fic I have...) **

_Blades penetrate through anything...the blade of the Guillotine cut off 44,000 if not more heads in the French Revolution...the blade of a sword penetrates through a person's chest...the blade at the end of a baonette penetrated through the person's heart while in the American Revolution...the blade of the scathe that Death carries slices through life, reaping a person of their next breath. The sharpest blade, though, is the one Pain carries. Pain's blade is the one that tears through any and every part of someones body...the biggest gouge being in the heart...first the heart then slowly eats away the person's spirit and then continues onto their brain until their brain is consumed by nothing but the mental torment...it'll drive one to the point of insanity because they are so blinded by grief...Pain's blade being driven further and further into them...until they are slashed to pieces and unable to revive. _

"I've come to the point where I could really care less if I win or lose," Isabella said as she walked through the empty halls of the palace, "it makes no difference now. Does it matter which happens? Personally, I have nothing to lose and nothing to gain. Both sides are at their climax...Lelouch could reach his goal or he could not..."

Isabella stopped walking and listened to the light hearted music floating through the halls from the ballroom of the palace.

"I will help Lelouch accomplish his goal. Japan will be restored to its former beauty. How the hell can he have a ball at a time like this?!" Isabella growled under her breath. She came to the staircase and sat down on the top step, the navy blue sky outside the window glimmering with stars and the milky white moon. Isabella sighed and continued listening to the music in the next room, feeling distant from Lelouch (who didn't actually plan to have a ball in the first place). She stood and walked passed the room, catching a glimpse of him in a black suit waltzing with some Noble's daughter. Isabella felt a surge of jealousy but it disappeared when she saw the bored expression in the young emperor's eye, despite the small smile.

_He's all mine you blond Britannian bitch._

Isabella felt a smirk spread across her face when Lelouch's back was to her and Isabella caught a glimpse of the blond girl's face. It took a minute of wracking her brain when she recognized the girl to be Ally Welsh. (remember the really snotty blond from track tryouts in ch. 4??) Isabella had to turn and hurry away from the scene when she saw Ally walk back to her parents, a look of disappointment plastered across her face when Lelouch had shown no interest in her whatsoever.

_I love conquering at least one Britannian. Lelouch is mine._

"Hey, Isabella, why aren't you inside?" Nunnally asked, her light pink ball gown sparkling in the hall lights and Isabella turned around.

"I don't have any clothes prepared and I wasn't exactly invited," she said and Nunnally steered her wheelchair up to her.

"Everyone is invited," the princess told her and took her hand, "and as for clothes, I'm sure I have something you can wear. There's a beautiful red ball gown you can have for tonight...I haven't worn it. I don't think I will either because I like pink and yellow...but it would look amazing on you."

Nunnally lead Isabella up the ramp and into her bed room, heading straight to her closet.

"Here it is," she said and gave the scarlet skirt a tug to bring it out into Isabella's view.

Isabella walked over to it and she felt her eyes widen twice their size.

"Nunnally...oh wow..." Isabella breathed and carefully removed the dress from the hanger.

The dress was a vibrant red and the bodice looked like thick ribbons that were sewn together in a layered pattern. The skirt of the dress was floor length and poofy, the netted fabric sparkling over the layers of scarlet silk.

"Thank you, Nunnally," Isabella breathed and Nunnally smiled.

"You can use some ribbons for your hair and some jewelry. I'll see you down stairs and Lelouch will be so happy you came," Nunnally smiled and Isabella returned it.

"Thank you Nunnally," she said and Nunnally left her to change.

_I want her to be with Lelouch as much as she can..._

Isabella managed to change in a matter of a few minutes and had her black hair tied in low pig tails with red ribbons. A diamond choker was around her neck and her own sparkling earrings were fastened in her ears, the red rose and pink lotus pendents being the perfect touched. Isabella took a look at herself in the mirror and pressed her red lips together.

_I could never pull off being royal...never ever. I was wearing Lelouch's t-shirts back in the Academy with jeans and Converse...hopefully no one will notice I'm wearing them now...under the dress..._

Isabella swallowed hard, nervous as hell, and then took a deep breath before starting down the steps. Heads didn't turn her way when she entered the room like it had always happened in movies but, the only head that did turn was the one that mattered. Lelouch was reluctantly dancing with Ally again and the moment she turned to see who he was staring at, her jaw almost hit the floor.

"S-she's an ELEVEN! How can you--?! What--?!"

Lelouch didn't hear her and ditched her, walking over to Isabella (who was turning paler than the moon from nervousness).

"May I have this dance?"

"You're emperor, you tell me," Isabella squeaked, the confidence gone from her voice.

_I now know why I used to be the servant at these events...I have no idea how to dance! _

Lelouch smiled at her and lead her out to the dance floor. Many nobles looked their direction, their hot eyes burning into her back and Lelouch sensed her uneasiness.

"Are you alright? I can tell this is making you uncomfortable," he said and Isabella followed his movement as best she could.

"N-no...it's alright," she tried to assure him and he kept a comforting hand on her back.

"Just pretend it's just us," he whispered in her ear and she felt her muscles relax.

"That's not a good idea."

"You're as bad as Tamaki."

Isabella smiled meekly, still dancing with Lelouch to the slow tempo of the music.

"It's not like you to be throwing parties and stuff," she told him and Lelouch shrugged.

"I didn't plan it. Some noble did."

"Which one?"

"Your favorite people."

"Alberns..." Isabella growled and Lelouch shook his head.

"Sorry...I was hoping you'd walk in though. I don't see you as much as I'd like to," he said and Isabella felt her heart swell.

"Yeah, it's obviously really different now," she said and Lelouch stopped as did the song.

"I don't want you to go through anymore mental torture. You can let go...you don't have to keep dwelling on me," he said and Isabella kept her distant green eyes on the floor.

"You make it sound so easy," she whispered, "excuse me...I need some air."

Lelouch watched her walk away towards the balcony and was then swarmed by admiring fan girls. Isabella leaned against the banister, her black pigtails spilling over the edge and her shoulders like long waterfalls. Her arms were crossed on the railing and her right ankle was over her left, head bowed and eyes closed. She didn't like being in a room full of people like that and could only imagine how nobles could do something like that under regular bases.

"It's hopeless," she sighed, a glistening tear splashing onto the polished wood. She didn't know how long she had stood there but it was long enough that by the time she noticed, the voices had died down and all the songs were slow, calming tunes.

"You've been standing out here for almost two hours. Not one for parties?" Suzaku's voice asked from behind her and a faint breeze blew, making Isabella's hair ripple outward towards the gardens.

"No, I can't stand being surrounded by people like that. I don't belong in there, I'm a Black Knight. I don't fit into the world of elegant jewels and fantastic parties. It's all a lie if you ask me...those people have never been exposed to pain or hardships. They just care about their images and money," Isabella said and raised her head to look up at the moon.

"I figured you would say something like that," Suzaku sighed and Isabella turned around, leaning back on her elbows against the rail.

"What about you, Suzaku Kururugi? What is it you are trying to do? Redeem yourself to Lelouch or turn against him even more?"

"I'm trying to fully redeem myself to you," Suzaku told her and she scoffed.

"Good luck. It'll take you a shit load of effort to do something like that," Isabella said and Suzaku crossed his arms.

"I understand why," he sighed and Isabella focused her green eyes on him, "I've hurt you in ways that are unthinkable. Most of the pain you've suffered is because of me, and I will do whatever it takes to earn the status I once had in your eyes."

Suzaku turned away, Isabella's eyes shining and he disappeared back inside.

"He's determined for you to love him," Lelouch told her quietly from a few feet beside her.

"I thought I told you I love you and only you."

Lelouch paused, pondering to feel selfishly proud or try to convince her she could love Suzaku if she tried.

"Don't bother trying to tell me otherwise Lelouch. I'm incapable of falling in love with anyone else because we have that bond of being best friends since we were born...my first memory of you is being two years old and we're just playing as if we knew each other already. Not many people have that foundation of love and then as we got older, I felt those feelings of genuine friendship blossom into a child's form of love. I don't know the exact time I fell in love with you...whether it was before the war started or during the seven years we were apart...or a little afterwards," Isabella confessed and Lelouch was in front of her, his arms on either side of her body, hands on the railing.

"So you just woke up one day thinking 'I'm in love with Lelouch,'?"

"Pretty much. I can't pin point it exactly so it's a way to explain it. I don't really try to comprehend it anymore...I just go with it."

Lelouch smiled and leaned closer to her, his lips parallel to hers. Isabella mirrored his actions and she could feel the electricity of his lips on hers.

"You Majesty," a guard came up behind Lelouch, standing in the doorway, and Lelouch cringed.

"Yes?" Lelouch turned around and the guard bowed.

"Some guests would like to say thier good byes and some last minute dances," the guard said and didn't even pay heed to Isabella.

"Very well," Lelouch sighed and the guard departed. "I'm sorry," he added to Isabella.

"You're just doing what you're supposed to," she stroked his cheek and kissed the corner of his mouth. Lelouch gave her a longing look then walked back into the brightly lit ballroom.

Isabella turned back around, standing up straight and covered her face with her hands as the faint breeze returned to keep her company and rippled her hair.

**Hours Later...**

"I cannot think of any royal figure that asked a woman to be thier Knight," Isabella said as she and Lelouch walked in the garage of the palace.

"Well, I don't want anyone else to be my Knight...plus you're rather convenient," Lelouch told her and she gave a dark laugh.

"Yeah, that's true. If something happens to me, I'll just revive. Immortality has its upside," Isabella said and lifted the skirts of her dress to walk easier.

"What do you think of the royal life?" Lelouch asked, not really needing to know the answer but asked any for the sake of a conversation.

"It's too hecktic for me. I don't see how those people can do stuff like that under regular bases," Isabella sighed and was extremely glad she was wearing her black Converse instead heels.

"Same here. I can't say I liked that very much," Lelouch agreed and Isabella let go of her skirts, letting them flow back down to her ankles.

"All of those girls liked you."

"They like my title and the fact they got to dance with the Emperor."

"Yeah, you're right. One of them I recognized from school."

"Which one?"

"The blond you were dancing with when I came in. Ally Welsh."

"Oh God...she was...I swear I practically fell on my knees and thanked you for walking in at that moment. That girl was hinting at marriage."

Isabella tripped over a loose shoe lace and her black pigtails whapped Lelouch in the face.

"MARRIAGE?!"

"I'm a young emperor, Isabell,a and these nobles will do anything to become royalty," Lelouch coaxed and Isabella glared at him intensely.

"I'm trying not to be possessive now," she glowered and Lelouch laughed softly.

"There's no need to be," he assured her and she relaxed.

"Gomen."

Lelouch smiled at her and tilted her head back with his forefinger and thumb on her chin. Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist and thier lips touched. Not a kiss just yet--

_Craaaaaashhhh!_

"Are you kidding me?!" Isabella cried as she jumped in front of Lelouch, yanking her gun out from the strap on her thigh.

"I'm not doing this for revenge or my country," Kallen's voice came over the radio and Isabella pushed Lelouch back up against the wall.

"What are you doing Kallen?!" Isabella shrieked and kept her body protecting Lelouch's. "Did you invite her to the party?!" she hissed to Lelouch and he nodded.

"She didn't say anything about coming or not!"

(A/N, I just screwed up a REALLY serious moment...)

Isabella pushed Lelouch out of harm's way as Kallen aimed the guns at her and then fled to her own Knightmare.

"Kallen, what are you doing!? You're suppossed to be helping Lelouch!" Isabella cried once she was inside.

"That was before he became the Emporer and annhilated the Japanese people's dreams!"

Isabella blocked a punch from Kallen's Knightmare and swung another blow which struck the red Knightmare in the chest.

"He's not doing anything like that! I thought you of all people would realize that!"

Kallen stumbled back and then drew out the sword. Isabella readied her own and the swords collided, making Isabella grimace at the metal sound.

"It would explain the amounts of bloodshed he has caused!" Kallen snapped and Isabella forced her backwards, back outside.

"I don't know what exactly he is planning but I know Lelouch would not do anything to hurt anyone!"

"He's gone traitor! And you're defending him!"

The two Knightmares got into a martial arts fight, throwing skillful punches, blocking and attacking.

"I'm his knight! I am not a traitor because my vow is to help Lelouch with his goal!" Isabella cried and Kallen lunged at her.

"So you're assisting him in this massacre!?"

"EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING FOR A REASON! YOU'RE HIS MOST FAITHFUL FOLLOWER KALLEN! HOW CAN YOU LOSE TRUST IN HIM?!" Isabella yelled and Kallen stopped.

"You win this time," Kallen told her after a minute and Isabella scoffed.

"I'm surprised you think I care about winning or losing. What's the difference now?"

Kallen sat back in her Knightmare, her head bowed and deep red hair hanging in her face.

"I don't know," was her reply and Isabella a tear slide out of each of her eyes.

"Are we going to start a war against each other or are you going to help us out?" Isabella asked after a handful of endless minutes.

"I trust you," Kallen told her and Isabella lowered herself from her Knightmare.

"You have to trust me one hundred percent, no matter what alright?" Isabella ordered more than stated and Kallen nodded as she too lowered herself down from the mechanical warrior.

"I will."

Isabella gave her a long, blank stare and then retreated back into the palace.

**Depressing...this has turned so sad...I never intended to make myself feel like crying...thankfully I have some Paramore playing so I don't cry. XD Pathetic how I can myself cry and laugh with my own story...that's just...wow...Alright, please review!! I'll upload whether I get any or not but the main reason I love reviews is I like knowing what the readers think. Yes, give me YOUR opinion! -ahem- I apologize for being so demanding. Just because I love you guys so much I'll start the next chapter right away and post it ASAP. :D **


	21. Immortal RoseEpilouge

**-Sniff- Well, this is the last offical chapter of "Tribulation had no Tourniquet". Thank you all so much for all of your support and reviewing so much for me. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to have such awesome people reviewing, reading, favoriting and subscribing for me. I love you guys so much and I will read/review for your fan fictions too in order to return the favor. :D Alright, my last Thank yous for this story go to the awesome: Invader Designia, brunettebookwork14, DarkFlame Alchemist and Usagi323 plus everyone else that has ever reviewed for this story, favorited etc. etc. Okay, here is the last chapter and I hope you like the ending! I worked hard on it and I hope it meets the expectations. If not, well, too bad. XD Lol. Enjoy now!! ^-^**

_There's always a point in one person's life where they feel as if the whole world is crashing down on them. They experience perpetual pain, nothing but all the sadness in the world following them...the thoughts of ending their life on their own may cross their mind. Sometimes they know they don't deserve the suffering they are experiancing...sometimes they think they deserve it as a punishment for their sins. The lowest point in the person' life can cause them to be driven to insanity because they feel so alone and abandoned...but...as long as you have something to live for...whether that something be a person...a dream or vow you have to keep...the bottom line is...no matter who or what you lose, there is always a reason to continue living. _

Isabella sat at the edge of the cliff, leg dangling lazily over the side, her Black Knight uniform on and her hair flowing freely in the wind. The lullaby of the waves underneath the cliff brought her a peace of mind and Isabella closed her eyes, the sweet sea air surrounding her. Her mind wandered back to her past, the now bittersweet memories of herself, Nunnally, Lelouch and Suzaku as children having no worries in the world but to be carefree and enjoy their innocent days. She missed those days and wanted them to come back...no war...no loss...no blood or dying...just laughter and love...the feeling of always being together and never having to worry about losing someone.

Isabella leaned back on her hand and closed her eyes, the salty air calming her as she continued reflecting on her childhood. She missed the horse races Suzaku and Lelouch would have and cheering with Nunnally as the two boys would whisk passed the two girls like valiant knights on the stallions and sitting at the edge of the lake with Lelouch, talking about fairy tales and enjoying skipping the flat rocks across the glassy surface of the crystal lake and then Suzaku and Nunnally teasing them both about how they were going to get married one day and have many kids...Isabella smiled at that, a tear dripping from her eye despite her smile. As a child, she would always jump to her feet, her face bright red, and chase Suzaku around the lawn until she tackled him to the ground and pummeled him even though in the back of her mind, marrying Lelouch in the future was what she wanted most in life.

_I love you, Lelouch Lamperouge._

"Japan..." she breathed, "I'm so glad you're back."

_He's a hero..._

Isabella exhaled passionately and heard light footsteps behind her, muffled by the lush grass. Isabella smiled to herself, her green eyes opening and then turned around, her eyes meeting the violet face mask of Zero.

"You've done it," she appluaded, "you've done it."

**Seven Days Previously...**

The sun shone above the world as it had done any other day, Isabella standing outside the palace, awaiting the royal carriage's arrival. Despite the sun, Isabella forced herself to choke back cries and by the looks of it, Kallen was as well. Kallen was parallel from the immortal, her sapphire eyes glimmering with tears as the echoing sound of the horse's steady trot became less distant. Isabella did her best to keep her posture, bowing as the carriage came closer then rolled a few feet passed her.

_Stay strong...everything will be fine, _she feebly convinced herself and watched as Kallen was quietly lead away but two guards, Isabella having to rip her eyes from her friend to keep from bursting at the seams.

"His Majesty Lelouch vi Britannia," the footman announced and opened the door, Isabella once again bowing deeply, voiceless, as the emperor stepped out of the carriage and towards her.

"My lord," she greeted and she could see the abyssal uneasiness in Lelouch's violet eyes when she had called him by the title.

Isabella waited until the carriage was steered away, the horse directed back to the stables, and then walked with Lelouch back into the castle. Her heart felt like it was being twisted and her stomach knotted, she had just found out he had taken all the Black Knights as prisoners, the only exception being herself. She knew that was where Kallen was guided to just now, and Isabella felt a stubborn tear drip out of her eye as she crossed over the threshold with Lelouch. Neither said a word, the immortal remaining a few steps ahead of her lover and they walked across the marble floor to the stair case.

"Lelouch," Isabella cut the burdensome silence after they had reached the stairwell, "I'm confused."

He was wordless and she didn't make eye contact with him as they started to climb the stairs, Isabella being one above him.

"You've taken your own followers as prisoners and plan a public execution. Your own followers...what is this? Another step in your plan or have you really become...one of them?"

A few more steps and Lelouch still did not answer. Isabella felt annoyed with his silence and whipped around on the top step.

"Answer me Lelouch!" she cried, but he only stared at her blankly.

"You're not going to defend or explain yourself?! What is going on?!" Isabella bleed, her dead, green eyes shining. "You're planning to kill them?! What are you going to do?! I am not losing faith in you...I know everything you do is for a reason, but this--" Isabella gripped the front of his robes, not realizing she had tears rushing down her face and buried her face in his chest. "I don't know what to think...I won't lose faith in you...but do you really plan on killing them?"

Lelouch's arms wrapped around her and she kept her face secreted in his robes.

"I told you I wouldn't let you go through anymore pain, didn't I?"

Isabella paused to listen to him, her eyes shining and she clung to him. He kissed her ebony hair and she made herself stand back up straight and wiped her tears away. Lelouch caressed her face and pushed back a strand of her hair, his own eyes glistening.

"Isabella," Lelouch soothed and stepped up one more stair so he was eye level with her, "I know I shouldn't ask this but..."

Isabella felt her heart pound painfully against her ribs as Lelouch pulled out a small, velvet black box and held it between them.

"I got you this a while ago...I planned to ask sooner...the day you got your memories back to be honest but I couldn't get the timing right. Isabella, I love you and I don't want you to think you're alone anymore," Lelouch said and opened the box, revealing a gold ring with three emeralds sparkling on top of it. Isabella felt her breath catch in her throat as she stared at it, unable to say anything.

"Lelouch...I--"

"It's okay; whatever you have to say, it's alright," Lelouch told her and touched her face with his free hand.

"I--I can't--marrying you means becoming empress...and then only to lose you..." Isabella gripped his hand lightly with her own and kept her eyes on his, "I am dying my first death as a Black Knight...remaining faithful to Zero and the side I have been fighting on since the very beginning. I will continue on in your legacy, Lelouch."

The emperor pressed his lips together, Isabella knowing she had just twisted a knife in his heart but she knew that it would hurt more for both of them to marry then be seperated on the same day. It was selfish and she knew it...she didn't want to become a wife only to be a widow that next day...she wouldn't be able to bear it. Isabella loved Lelouch and he knew it...but due to the circumstances, there was no way she would be able to enjoy her own wedding with the fact that Lelouch would die shortly after nagging at her.

"Take it with you," Lelouch whispered finally and held the ring nearer to her, "just take it as a memory of me. It was cruel to ask you to do something like marrying--"

Isabella cut him off, her lips crushing against his desperately. She locked her arms around his waist, the emperor almost falling back down the stairs but the immortal kept him balance. Isabella's lips lightened against his, the violet eyes closing to return her sudden kiss, her hands starting to run through his hair and she let her tears flood down her face. Lelouch's hands were on her back, his tears mixing with hers, lips moving in the same intense rhythm as Isabella's and he held her so close to him, he could feel her heart beating steadily in her chest. Lelouch let the fiery tears leak out of his eyes and he curled his fingers against Isabella's shirt, as if pleading her to never allow him from the warm, comforting embrace of her arms.

_I don't want to leave you..._

Neither of them wanted the kiss to end for it may have been their last...Isabella's tongue caressing his...their lips moving in that slow, loving rhythm...Isabella's cool hands running through Lelouch's hair and his fingers lacing with her ebony waves...their tears mixing together like a bond...both of them feeling as if it was going to a supernatural force to seperate them. He didn't want to let go of her...Lelouch wished the war had never began...if it had never started then the two of them would have been able to live a happy life together...get married...have children of their own...but that was only a fantasy the two of them could dream of now.

_This war has made me realize how much you mean to me..._

"Lelouch," Isabella mumbled through his lips as the kiss slowed and he kissed the corner of her mouth tenderly.

"No matter what happens to me, Isabella, promise me one thing," Lelouch asked into her ear and she nodded, "don't give up hope."

Isabella clung to him, no longer able to keep her quiet sobs inside of her and Lelouch held her as she cried.

"I don't want you to leave me...I can't picture a life or future without you!" she wept into his robes and he stroked her hair.

"I promise everything will be alright...we won't be parted forever..." Lelouch tried to assure her but had a hard time believing it himself. His own tears flowed onto Isabella's black hair, and she held him close to her, not wanting to ever let go. Maybe it was five minutes or even an hour they stood their in each other's arms, crying silently together, and Isabella reluctantly pulled away from him.

"Before the executions taking place tomorrow morning...I want to go see Tamaki and the other Black Knights," she swallowed and raised her hand to his cheek. Lelouch turned his head into her hand, his own coming up and holding it, fingers beginning to intertwine between hers.

"Very well," he told her quietly and Isabella kept new tears from spilling out of her eyes. She began to walk away, her hand unhurriedly sliding down Lelouch's face and her fingertips gliding over his palm and fingertips as his arm stretched out to keep the contact as long as he could. Isabella continued up the stairs, her fists half curled and Lelouch kept his eyes on the stair in front of him. He feared if he so much as glanced at his most loyal follower, he'd begin chase after her and beg her to not go...to stay with him for how ever much time they had together.

_Don't..._Lelouch scolded himself, _don't make this any harder on her than it already is._

"I won't give up on you, Lelouch," Isabella promised and Lelouch's eyes automatically looked up at her, "no matter what may happen, I will carry on the legacy of Zero and keep his name stainless. The world will remain how you've fought for it to be. That's...my final vow to you."

Isabella turned back around to face him and slid the emerald ring on her finger.

"I love you, Lelouch Lamperouge."

Lelouch's eyes widened at the sound of his former name and the two paused, Isabella bowing her head then continued up the stairs, her back to him once more.

"Good bye, Lelouch."

"Good bye, Isabella," Lelouch echoed and watched her slowly but nobly walk back up the rest of the staircase, her shining, ebony hair flowing gracefully around her hips. She only looked back once, meeting his painful, violet eyes, then she had disappeared out the door and out of sight.

"I love you too, Isabella Liberata."

Lelouch gritted his teeth and covered his eyes with his hands, unable to control the rebellious tears.

**In the Prison...**

"I am having a really hard time trying to figure out what the hell is going on," Tamaki grumbled as he paced back and forth in the cell he was sharing with Ohgi and Kallen.

"Everything has just flipped...I have no idea what to believe either," Ohgi put in and Isabella remained silent, her eyes closing.

"You really just need to trust Lelouch, he knows what he's doing," Kallen snapped at them both and Isabella leaned against the wall, one leg brought up to her chest and arm laying over it, her other leg stretched out in front of her.

"Isabella, you know Lelouch better than anyone. What are your thoughts?" Tamaki asked and Isabella opened her dead eyes.

"I honestly am not certain either."

Tamaki noticed the heavy, distant note in her voice and the ring around her finger, his heart jolting. He pressed his lips together and sat down next to her, attempting to bring her comfort.

"Isabella, why didn't you marry him? You'd be able to have such an easy life and be with the one you belong with," he asked her and Isabella touched her ring.

"I'm going to die my first death as a Black Knight," the immortal half whispered loyally, "Lelouch knows I love him more than anyone and I'll never love someone else the way I love him. He's the reason I am alive and the reason I keep living without giving up," Isabella told him and Tamaki pushed back a strand of her ebony hair.

"If there was any way we could all prevent this, trust me we would," Tamaki said, his arm snaking around her shoulders and Isabella rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know you would. You spoil me, Tamaki-onii," Isabella sighed and Tamaki held her against him.

"I hate seeing you go through this."

"Everything will be okay..." Isabella assured him even though she didn't believe it herself and cuddled close to Tamaki like a younger sister. "I trust Lelouch. Everything will be fine."

Remaining in their silence, Kallen and Ohgi both had to agree with the immortal.

_I have faith in you Lelouch..._

**The Following Morning...**

The sun blazed in the cloudless sky, the air dry and hot. It seemed as if every citizen in Japan had crowded around the closed street to watch for the Demon Emperor to make his appearance with his hostages. Isabella stood among the sea of people, her eyes searching for Lelouch to come over the hill with the Black Knights to lead them to their execution and her heart pounded crazily in her chest. She weaved through the wall of bodies, occasionally catching pieces of hushed conversations, trying not to pay much attention to them.

"He's gone mad...the Demon Emporer," a man whispered from beside Isabella and his friend gave him a shove.

"If anyone hears you, they could turn you over to him!"

"Even so...he's lost his mind...even the people that are against him the most said they never expected him to do something like this..."

"Maybe it was the loss of a lover."

Isabella pushed passed them, her heart racing at the statement and came nearer to the main road where the crowd had thinned. Her heart was pounding as she could see the tip of the float like structure beginning to roll over the crest of the hill, the Black Knights all imprisoned on the right and Nunnally at the foot of the platform of Lelouch's throne, a slide-like structure separating them.

"Lelouch...what are you doing...?" Isabella wondered aloud when she had seen Nunnaly, dressed in red and seemed to have black collars around her wrists, ankles and neck. "Kallen..."

The deep red haired girl was focusing straight ahead, not making eye contact with the crowd, but she kept what was left of her dignity. Her head was also spinning, wondering why Lelouch had betrayed his own followers, and she searched the crowd for Isabella, hoping the ebony haired Knight would step in and stop him.

"Tamaki..." Isabella breathed, Kallen not spotting her just yet, and the immortal bit her lip.

Everyone Isabella had fought with was chained up as prisoners, awaiting their public execution and Isabella searched the crowd and street to see if anyone was making attempts to stop this. She thought of doing so herself, but she remembered her place and reminded herself that Lelouch had a reason for doing everything he did. Even so, was he really going to allow her to watch her closet friends _and _him die?

"Isabella, what's happened to him?" a familiar voice asked and Isabella executed the idea of stepping out into the street.

"Rivalz, what are you doing here?"

The blue haired teen slicked back a stray hair and cast his gaze down at the cement, confused as anyone else surrounding him.

"I wanted to see if what everyone was saying was true...about Lelouch going mad...I thought he would..." Rivalz trailed off and Isabella laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Just trust him. You know who Lelouch truely is...don't go losing faith now," she whispered and then heard several people gasp.

"Zero, it's Zero!"

"Our Savior! Zero!"

Isabella turned her head around, her eyes focusing down the street and only yards away from her, stood the masked knight, Zero.

"Impossible!" she cried, Rivalz mouth dropping open, "Lelouch--?!"

Isabella swung her head back up to the throne and saw Lelouch rise to his feet. She inhaled deeply, her eyes widening, and she refocused on the masked warrior.

"Now I understand."

On the other end, Zero whipped his cape out to his sides and began sprinting towards the float where Lelouch was. Knightmares before him aimed their guns at him and Isabella pushed free from the crowd, also running towards Lelouch as Zero zig zagged through many bullets being fired at him.

_You have gotten Suzaku to do this for you..._

Isabella continued running as Zero leaped onto a Knightmare and then jumped down.

"I'll take care of him!" Jeremiah bellowed over the unsuccessful Knightmares and whipped his blade out of his sleeve for combat.

Zero kicked him in the shoulder, making him fall onto his side. Zero brushed passed Isabella, knocking her out of the way and she stumbled to the ground, landing on her side.

"Gahh! Dammit!" she hissed and scrambled back up on all fours.

"Get the guards and hurry out there! Zero's almost in front of Nunnally!" Cornelia ordered to Violetta and her other subjects, the blinds closing and the princess turned around, tossing her cape aside before running for the door.

Zero jumped onto the platform in front of Nunnally, Isabella finally on her feet.

"LELOUCH!" she screamed, tears pouring from her eyes and Kallen felt a scream erupting out of her throat as she watched Zero, Isabella and Lelouch.

"LELOUCH! ZERO!" she shrieked, "DON'T KILL HIM! _DON'T KILL HIM_!"

_He asked Suzaku to take his place as Zero..._Isabella pieced together, tears flooding down her face.

"ISABELLA!" Tamaki yelled, Isabella ignoring him.

Jeremiah was on his feet and Zero was directly in front of Lelouch, Isabella screaming at them both. Nunnally stared up at the two men, her violet eyes horrified but she was unable to move, her paralysis hindering her to jump up and attempt to reach them.

"You--cretin!" Lelouch drew out his gun but Zero knocked it out of his hand and into the ari with his sword. Zero poised the blade and inside the mask, Suzaku could hear Kallen, Nunnally and Isabella's cries to not harm the tyrant standing in front of him.

_Isabella..._

_"Suzaku, you're willing to become Zero and where a mask forever, being the defender of justice and sacrificing yourself for the good of others?" Lelouch asked._

"No...NO!" Isabella screamed, tears almost blinding her.

_"Yes," Suzaku answered and took the mask from Lelouch's outstretched hands. _

Lelouch gave the masked face an unnoticeable smile as a reassurance, as the blade became closer to him.

"_DON'T KILL HIM! DON'T DIE! LELOUCH_!" Isabella shrieked, her arms out in front of her and tears drenching her face.

_"Then you'll erase my existence, just as planned. The hatred of the world is all placed on me and once y__ou have gotten rid of the Demon Emporer, the world will be able to have the peace we have been fighting for it to have for so long. Everyone will be united through negotiation and talking rather than war and bloodshed." _

"ONII-SAMA!" Nunnally gripped her face as she watch the blade of Zero lunge for her brother.

_"What about Isabella and Nunnally?" Suzaku asked and Lelouch gave a faint but loving smile. _

_"They will have the lives they deserve...lives without wars and no more pain. They will have freedom beyond their dreams," was his answer and Suzaku held the mask close to him. _

_"Isabella will be in tormoil without you. You're her hero." _

_"Interesting girl, that Isabella. You have a lot to live up to...keeping the name of Zero stainless. It'll be more work keeping her off your case then actually keeping peace in the world." _

_Lelouch laughed lightly and Suzaku smiled. _

_"She loves you more than anyone else I've met." _

_"She's also very loyal. Never once has she ever doubted me, and I'm sure once you're Zero, she'll be the same way with you," Lelouch said and Suzaku closed his eyes for a brief moment then opened them again. _

Isabella finally reached the float and was just a step away from being on it when Zero's sword was plunged into Lelouch's chest. She froze, not believing her eyes and the world seemed to hold its breath. Memories of her past with him flashed through her mind...running around care-freely with Lelouch as a child...the bright smiles and laughs...having him win her freedom from slavery...kissing Lelouch for the first time...

_"Take care of her, Suzaku. Isabella has suffered so much, please take care of her. Nunnally as well," Lelouch said and Suzaku nodded. _

_"I will." _

Fighting by his side in the war...every time they kissed...just being with him period...all those moments she held so dearly in her heart like her own mental scrapbook...those moments that always kept her going in life...her reason for living...was he really just going to be erased like that? Why Lelouch...why?!

"This is just a nightmare...it's just a nightmare...I'm going to wake up in Ashford Academy soon, Lelouch beside me..." Isabella tried to convince herself and her tears blurred her vision as she stepped onto the platform with Nunnally.

"Suzaku," Lelouch whispered, his hand on his stomach and blood gushing down hi pure white robes, "this...is also a punishment...you must always sacrifice your own happiness for others...and you're condemned to where a mask for eternity...but even so...you will be a hero...the defender of justice...you're the protector of the world..."

"Lelouch," Suzaku choked out, no one but his best friend hearing him, tears of his own slipping out of his eyes. His best friend raised the blood stained hand to the visor of the mask, his voice low.

"Please..." Lelouch coughed, "take care...of Isabella...and...my sister...they'll need you...promise me...you'll always take care of them...because I won't be able to..."

"I promise you," Suzaku vowed and gripped the handle of the sword. "I will never let harm come to either one of them."

Lelouch smiled, unable to say anything else and the blade was yanked back out of his body. He took a wobbling step forward, everybody silent and watching before falling head over heals and sliding down to the platform towards to the two women he loved so dearly, a trail of scarlet following him. He landed at the foot of the platform, Nunnally's horror stricken eyes traveling from his wound to his face.

"Nii-san?" she tilted her head, her tiny body trembling as she saw the gaping wound in her beloved brother's chest.

Isabella knelt down beside Lelouch, crying uncontrollably but noiselessly and placed her hand on top of his head, her cheek resting on his forehead. Nunnally touched his hand, her brother's memories playing before her eyes.

_Geass...the mask of Zero...protecting the world and leading the Black Knights...doing everything in order to give Nunnally a world where she can live happily..._

"You mean...everything you have done was for--?"

Nunnally gasped inaudibly as she saw her brother's eyes slowly turn towards her, a faint smile on his face.

"Nii-san..." Nunnally cried, gripping his hand and pressing it against her cheek, "Nii-san, I love you!"

Isabella watched her and then felt her knight's eyes on her. Isabella held his hand, his fingers curling around her hand as best he could and she met his dying eyes.

"You've done it...Lelouch...you've accomplished...I love you--!" Isabella couldn't finish, her crying cutting her off. She rested her head on his and kissed his hand, her tears dripping onto his skin.

Fighting in the war with the Black Knights...being at Ashford and enjoying his school life with Rivalz, Shirley, Milly, Nina, Nunnally, Kallen, Suzaku and Isabella...Rolo...C.C. always hanging around...spending time with Isabella...

"Yes..." Lelouch sighed, "and I'm so thankful...I had...someone as faithful as you...by my side...from the very beginning...and a sister...that is worth...it all..." Lelouch whispered, the memories of his past flashing before him.

...seeing her smile...kissing her...watching her as she laughed with Shirley and Nunnally...listening to the petty arguments between her, Tamaki and Kallen...all the memories so dear to him...the ones that made him smile...he would do anything to protect them and make them happy...

"We love you, Lelouch," Isabella said and Nunnally gripped the front of his robes.

"I love you--too..." he managed to whisper.

Lelouch's eyes closed and Isabella gasped.

"L-Lelouch!"

"He's dead..." a man yelled and Isabella stared at Lelouch's body.

"Zero!"

"ZERO!"

"No...NO! Lelouch! Open your eyes! Lelouch!" she bawled and Nunnally buried her face in his chest.

_"ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!"_

"I can't picture a future without you Nii-san! Don't leave me!"

_"ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!"_

"Lelouch...I love you so much...Lelouch..." Isabella kissed his lips one final time and then let her cries mix in with Nunnally's, both girls' mourning wails being drowned out by the chanting of the surrounding crowd.

_"ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO!" "ZERO! "ZERO!" _

"The demon Lelouch is dead!" Cornelia shouted and her soldiers scattered about, "release his hostages!"

The crowd cheered as the masked knight stood at the throne, his cape blowing behind him and his sword beside him. Isabella raised her tear stained face up to look upon him then gritted her teeth together before laying her head back on Lelouch's chest, Cornelia's words stabbing at her.

_No...this isn't right...this wasn't supposed to be how it ended! Lelouch is not a demon...he's a hero!_Isabella's thoughts screamed as she cried with Nunnally, the most important person in both of their lives, now dead in their arms.

**Flashback Over. **

"You've done it," Isabella repeated and leaned back on her hands in the soft grass. Zero was quiet and Isabella pursed her lips, somewhat irritated.

"Well say something!" she scolded, "don't just stand there and stare at me. I know who you are."

"I know," Suzaku said and removed the helmet off his head, a playful smile on his face, "I just thought you liked the idea of Zero being mysterious and silent."

"Yeah, right, no. Mysterious works but silent is not in the job description," Isabella toyed and looked back over the ocean, her thoughts wandering back to Lelouch.

"You do plan on coming back right?" Suzaku asked after a moment of silence and Isabella cocked her eyebrows.

"When did I ever plan on leaving?" she asked and focused on him once more, a look of confusion plastered on her pretty face.

"I was just wondering," he shrugged.

"Suzaku, I made a vow of always remaining Zero's most faithful follower. I promised Lelouch I would continue the legacy of Zero when no one else could and the only way I can do that is if I stick around," Isabella said as she stood to her feet, the wind making her hair dance around her.

"You've made so many vows in this war, Isabella," Suzaku observed and the immortal smiled gently.

"Yes, I have. I have been able to keep all of them so far and my final one is keeping the legend of Zero alive. I will make sure the world stays the way Lelouch fought so hard for it to be and should anyone try to get in the way of that, I will be the one to resolve that problem." She smiled and Suzaku gazed at her as she turned her head, her gorgeous green eyes resting on the horizon.

"Something else I picked up along the way of this whole experience is, everyone has a reason to live, no matter how many people are taken away from them...whether that reason being a dream or goal...even if it seems all the people in your life are slowly being kidnapped by death or seem to be abandoning you...you can't give up. There's always that ray of hope, isn't there, Suzaku?"

"What would happen if I disagreed with you?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck and Isabella shot a her friend a dirty look.

"I'd punch you."

"Then I don't really have a choice here, do I, Isabella?"

She laughed and Suzaku agreed with her, then wrapped his arms around her after she had walked up to him.

"I know I'm not Lelouch and there is no way we'd ever love each other the way you and Lelouch do, but do you forgive me enough to at least being my friend again?" Suzaku asked and Isabella returned his embrace.

"After all you've done, yes, I forgive you," she said and Suzaku pulled back.

"You know, Tamaki opened a bistro. Kallen asked if you, me, Nunnally and Ohgi all wanted to go over," he told her and Isabella raised her eyebrows.

"In one week? Wow...impressive...and you better change or you'll attract attention," Isabella scolded and tugged on the dark clothes he was wearing.

"Right...you drive then," Suzaku muttered and Isabella smiled, twirling the keys of his Lancelot around her finger.

"Damn straight."

_Something I always told myself was to never give up. I hated showing I was weak and I hated losing...I guess that's another reason I joined the war. I wanted to test and make sure I wasn't just being hypocritical. There were definitely down sides to the war...watching the majority of the people I loved die...feeling hopeless at times...but even so, I kept pushing forward because I believe everyone has something to live for. As for the people that deny they have anything to live for...you're not looking hard enough. Just remember there is always hope and if you keep pushing yourself forward, you'll reach the light. Everyone has a reason to keep going in life...you just have to really look for the reason if you don't already know. _

**Author's Note: Kind of an epilogue: Isabella remained by Suzaku's side as C.C. did with Lelouch and she was made Nunnally's knight only hours after Lelouch's death. She remained loyal to Kallen, Tamaki and the rest of the Black Knights, helping them with whatever problem would arise. She didn't have to fight in another war until seventeen years after Lelouch died and that was the same battle Tamaki was killed in. Isabella buried him with a Knight's honor, keeping his Black Knight headband in memory of him and had gotten so close to him, she actually did pass him off as her older brother. The war Tamaki-onii had died in lasted two short years, Isabella's immortality being the key that helped them win. She posed as Zero numerous times, saving Suzaku from many deaths and she kept true to her vow to Lelouch. Another five years passed and another battle, this time Suzaku being the one that died. He passed away in Isabella's arms and she buried him too with a Knight's honor. From then on, she was Zero and lived with Kallen and Nunnally for the rest of their lives. Kallen was the last of Isabella's friends to pass away and after Kallen moved on, Isabella had nowhere to go. She wandered around for a decade or so then Kallen's granddaughter found her and she stayed with the remainder of Kallen's family. Isabella lived under the name Isabella Lamperouge since the day Lelouch had sacrificed himself and she never took the ring he had given to her off her finger. She lived for another three thousand years, keeping the legend of Zero alive and never did fall in real love again. Yes, she became infatuated with another man that reminded her greatly of Lelouch and he loved her in return but she made it clear to him before he had confessed his love she was incapable of ever falling in love again, despite the fact she wanted to. (Seriously, she just couldn't fall in love again. She really tried!!) Isabella stayed with this man (who also happened to be 19 and many parallels to Lelouch) until he agreed to obtain her Code and use it in order to restore world peace and keep Zero alive in people's minds. Isabella finally was able to move on to the next world...the first person to greet her in the Light being Lelouch. She had died in the man's arms with a smile on her face as he too watched her spirit reunite with the one she loved. Isabella died with no regrets, being able to see her parents, best friends and most of all Lelouch in Heaven being the last vow she had ever made. **

**I thank you all for the support you have given to this story. I couldn't have done it without you and I'll be back with more fan fictions. Trust me. Possibly have some one shots that go with this story because some stuff I had to edit out for the sake of length and significance. XD hahaha! I'll see you all soon! ^-^ Bye for now cause I'm tired and I need sleep! XD **


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